


Set me free

by redangeleve



Series: Love the way you lie (Translation) [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Arihnda is just sweet, Attempted Murder, C-Section, Family life on a Stardestroyer, Hux copes with his life, M/M, Major Character Injury, Major Illness, Near Death Experiences, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pregnancy, Premature Birth, Ren makes progress, Transgender Hux, Vaginal Sex, fear of miscarriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 09:13:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 35,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23348980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redangeleve/pseuds/redangeleve
Summary: In the three years that had passed since his return, he had accepted that he would spend his life at Kylo Ren's side, Ren as Supreme Leader and Hux as the commander of his battleship, the Finalizer, at his side, and that they would raise their daughter together in addition to their duties. Although Ren must have realized by now that Hux could not bear him any more children, he surprisingly held on to him. It had become like a habit hard to break that they shared a bed with each other and not just for sleeping.
Relationships: Armitage Hux & Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren
Series: Love the way you lie (Translation) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1608670
Comments: 51
Kudos: 50





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Set me free](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22490626) by [redangeleve](https://archiveofourown.org/users/redangeleve/pseuds/redangeleve). 



Set me free

Is this life?  
That we're living  
Say the prayers of a thousand tongues  
Is this love?  
Some new beginning  
Or a night in our wildest dreams

(30 Seconds to Mars, Great wilde open)

General Hux

If he had to summarize the content of his life in one word, Hux would know exactly what that word would be: acceptance. 

In the three years that had passed since his return, he had accepted that he would spend his life at Kylo Ren's side, Ren as Supreme Leader and Hux as the commander of his battleship, the Finalizer, at his side, and that they would raise their daughter together in addition to their duties. The first months had been difficult, but they had managed to pull themselves together somehow, although Hux never thought that it would be a coup attempt that changed his life for the better. By the time Hux had been back in command for about four months, a group of three officers and a dozen or so Stormtroopers had tried to attack and eliminate him and Ren simultaneously but in separate locations, with the main focus on the Supreme Leader. For killing Hux, they had only sent three men, and the General had never been so happy as on this day to have been underestimated. By the time Ren stormed into their quarters, ready to fight, lightsaber in hand, the battle had already been over and three men had been killed on the ground, but Hux was not one of them. Two he had shot with the blaster he had kept in a hiding place under the bed, one had been killed with the blade he carried in his sleeve. 

Arihnda, who thank heaven had a deep sleep, had remained unharmed and hadn't noticed any of the chaos, but the fact that Hux had defended himself and their daughter earned him a respect from Ren that he hadn't received in all these years. From now on, he gave him almost unrestricted authority in the leadership of the Finalizer, as well as all the freedoms in dealing with their daughter, and although Ren must have realized by now that Hux could not bear him any more children, he surprisingly held on to him. Of course their intimate life was far less intense than at the beginning, but Ren never took him against his will. It had become like a habit hard to break that they shared a bed with each other and not just for sleeping.

Well, there were worse fates.

"Pa, will you read to me?"

He had never been able to resist the blue eyes with tiny brown speckles in them and Hux wondered if that would ever change. As she stood there in the nightclothes of the First Order, which had to be made especially for her size, and with bare feet, the datapad in one hand and the plush figure of an Ewok in the other, the sight of her made his heart beat faster. He smiled restrainedly as he put his own datapad aside and signalled to his daughter with a movement of his head that she could climb on his lap. The lighting in their quarters was in night mode, only above his deskw was a lamp burning at eighty percent. 

It was late, well past her bedtime, so the General had preferred to watch over her in their common quarters while he worked rather than in his office, which was located in one of the rooms near the bridge. As long as Ren was not on board of the Stardestroyer, Hux did all the work that did not involve the presence of other officers in his private quarters. For meetings and all other public appointments, he took Arihnda with him so he wouldn't have to leave her in the care of a droid.

She resembled a little monkey as she pulled herself up against him and made herself comfortable on his legs, her ears sticking out from the fuzzy hair tickling his chin. When it came to Hux, she usually wore the curly strands in a braid to give a neat hairstyle befitting a girl by military standards, but Ren liked to leave it open so that the black hair curled around her head like a whirlwind. Even today, the General had taken long minutes to tame her flood of thick strands of hair to tie them together, but for sleep he had loosened the ties that kept the chaos in controlled orbits. 

Full of expectation, the girl placed her datapad on the desk. It was a slimmed-down, modified version without direct access to the Stardestroyer's network, to which her fathers had downloaded child-fitting holovideos, games and stories to entertain her. As the only child on board of the Finalizer life could be quite boring at times, even though Ari didn't understand that with her four years of age. When Ren was on board and available, he would often take her to his private training room to practice handling the Force or to keep fit with her. Hux in return went with Ari on the bridge during his off-duty time, where they admired the breathtaking beauty of space through the panoramic window, or to the engine room, where he explained the complex hyperdrive of the Stardestroyer to her. Of course he knew that she didn't understand anything he said, but she liked the many consoles with the colorful lights and the humming and roaring of the machines. It was a poor substitute for a child-friendly environment, but she didn't know any better, didn't know any different. 

Nevertheless this state of affairs was often the subject of countless discussions between General Hux and Kylo Ren. They both knew well enough that life on a battleship did not offer optimal conditions to raise a child, but the alternative of finding a suitable, First Order planet where Ari could grow up and get in contact with other children did not please them, because it meant that their fathers either had to leave her in the care of strangers or one of them - if not both - had to stay behind with her. But the strength of the First Order was that they were always on the move, always ready for action and always elusive to their enemies. Which was why none of them could choose between plague or cholera, and in the end they left everything as it was.

"What do you want to read?" asked Hux after he kissed his daughter on her dark mop of hair and bent forward to take a look at the datapad.

"The story of Admiral Thrawn," Ari begged immediately and Hux felt the corners of his mouth lift in amusement. It was probably due to the passion he himself displayed while reading about his idol that his daughter felt the same fascination for the legendary hero of the Galactic Empire as her father did. 

"Alright then," he decided and picked up the screen, which already showed the right page, but before he could start reading, his daughter took the floor again. 

"Pa, when's Daddy coming back?"

Since Hux had shown that he could defend himself and their daughter and could easily manage the leadership of the Finalizer on his own for a few days, Ren had begun to expand his duties as Supreme Leader, which from time to time also made it necessary to leave the ship when visiting potential allies, participating in diplomatic missions or backing up their army on delicate reconnaissance missions. It was during one of these occasions that Ren had disembarked that the second coup attempt occurred. But again, Hux had emerged victorious from the battle, when a group of traitors under General Mitaka as their leader had stormed his office. To this day, he congratulated himself on the decision to leave Ari with the nanny droid that day, against his custom, and it still gave him satisfaction to think of how he had rammed the dagger into Mitaka's chest and watched the light in his eyes go out. There had never been an attack on his person since then.

According to a scan, the planet they were orbiting at the moment had abundant resources that the First Order could urgently use, despite its low population, so Ren had boarded a shuttle three days ago to explore the situation with a squad. The operation of a Stardestroyer was expensive and consumed a lot of energy, so opportunities like this one were very hard to find.

Either the population was ready for a trade or they would come back with a Stormtrooper battalion and take the raw materials by force, but Ari should not be interested in that yet.

"Soon," Hux replied. "As soon as you fall asleep." In fact he had received the message an hour ago that Ren's shuttle was on its way back but he would avoid to keep Ari awake until her father was back. It could always happen that the ship got into atmospheric disturbances and took longer than the onboard computer had calculated. Ari was an early riser anyway, which meant that she would wake up before the alpha shift started. Then she would climb into their bed, where she would squeeze into the middle of the mattress between her sleeping fathers and cuddle up to their bodies before the alarm announced that the General had to get up. If that happened, it was still early enough for her to see Ren again.

XXXXXX

Kylo Ren

It was late, already well into the Delta shift, when Ren walked down the corridor to his quarters. Although the Stardestroyer corridors were always busy, it was much quieter during the hours of the night cycle than during the day shifts. The talks on the planet had not started very promisingly at first, but his presence and an impressive and deadly demonstration of his abilities had been enough to convince the inhabitants that a trade could be more in their interest than the destruction of their pitiful world. Although it had not been a real fight, just a brief flare-up of resistance, Ren's muscles still felt stiff and he was dirty and tired. His suit smelled of sweat and the blood of the man he had killed, though he had cleaned him in a makeshift way in one of the locals' dwellings, but he had been in the same clothes for three days and his face itched through the stubble of his beard that shot through his skin like weeds. 

Ren did not bother to enter the code for the opening mechanism. Instead, he opened the door with a mental command before stepping inside and placing his lightsaber and helmet on a rule high enough that Ari couldn't reach it. Since the attempted coup Ren always carried his lightsaber with him even on board and Hux never left her quarters without carrying a weapon. Although the dark-haired knight couldn't see any immediate intentions among the crew members to start another battle, none of them was naive enough to believe that they had eradicated the evil at the root. They preferred to leave nothing to chance, only in their quarters they laid down their weapons so that they wouldn't fall into Ari's hands.

He was not surprised when he found the General at his desk despite the late hour. Although he would deny it, Hux always waited for him when he returned from one of his missions. If he brought it up, Hux would claim that his workload had occupied him until now, but Ren knew better. Secretly, he had been looking forward to seeing the General again since the departure, but he would not tell him that. In the background, the dark-haired knight could hear their daughter snoring softly. What a pity, he would have liked to take her in his arms before he retired, but he knew that this was selfish. It was important for her health and development that she got a regular night's sleep, despite her fathers' ever-changing schedules, and even though she was no longer a toddler, she still slept in a cot next to theirs, but it couldn't stay that way for long. Although Ren always reached out for her and made sure she was fast asleep before he became intimate with Hux, he would not bet that he would feel it, if she didn't stay that way during their coupling.

The redhead raised his head but said nothing as Ren crossed the dark room until he reached the beam of the desk lamp. Even then, he scanned him only wordlessly, noticing the bloodstains on his armour and looking for signs of injury, than leaning back contentedly when he found none. Ren did the same in his own way. Examining the general in the light of the lamp, he discovered the casual clothes that Hux wore only when he didn't intend to leave their quarters, as well as the bluish shadows under his eyes that testified of too little sleep. Obviously, Hux had once again used his absence to work until exhaustion, but that was over now.

"Were you successful?" the General finally asked in a subdued voice. 

Ren just nodded. "I'm taking a shower. Wait for me in bed." He turned away without waiting for an answer, but he knew that he would not get one either. Hux knew the usual procedure after Ren's return from a mission as well as he did himself. First he would make sure he washed off the blood and dirt of the foreign world, then maybe eat something, and then they would have sex before going to sleep dead on their feet. Today would be no exception, which was why Ren, on his way through the room, would gradually slip out of his stained, sweaty clothes and drop them to the floor in a messy trail before slipping naked through the bathroom door. 

XXXXXX

General Hux

It was three days later, when Captain Phasma was in his office giving a report on the start of the raw material extraction, that Hux noticed her red nose and croaking voice. Obviously she had caught a cold on the planet, but that was nothing to distract a First Order officer from his duties, so Hux didn't give it a second thought. He trusted that she had either already been to the infirmary to get all the necessary supplies or would do so after the conversation. With her helmet under her arm and without even mentioning her ailing condition, she brought the General up to date, giving Arihnda, who was playing with her stuffed animals on the sofa in the corner, a warm look. 

Earlier, in Hux's first years on the ship, Phasma had almost been something like his confidante before their paths had parted and she had been transferred to another Stardestroyer and with the years the General had almost forgotten her, but the unpleasant experiences with Mitaka had brought her back into his memory. It had seemed sensible to him to put a stop to any potential intrigues by surrounding himself with people who were loyal to him, so he had brought Phasma back to the Finalizer a few months ago. As a precaution, he had let Ren search her mind for dishonest thoughts, but since he had found nothing, Hux had gone over to accepting her as one of the few people allowed to have contact with his daughter.

Even now Ari gave the woman in the chrome flashing armour a beaming smile and Hux could clearly feel that his daughter longed for Phasma to come over and play with her since her fathers didn't have time for her, but the Captain was on duty as well, so after her report she only stroked the little one's hair for a short time before Hux dismissed her from his office and she left.

At the end of the next day's cycle it began.

Contrary to her nature, Arihnda had been cranky all evening. She didn't want to eat her dinner, when she was bathing the water was first too warm and then too cold, and when Hux wanted to read to her, his daughter didn't really listen at all, but slipped restlessly back and forth, so that he finally gave up and put her to bed before the end of the story, but even then she just rummaged in the pillows, sneezed and got up again and again, because she was sometimes thirsty, sometimes hungry and had to go to the toilet the next time. Neither Hux, nor Kylo Ren got the chance to relax that evening, so when it got later and later and Ari still couldn't get any rest, they took the girl with them into their own bed, where she finally fell asleep.

The first thing Hux noticed when his alarm went off at the beginning of the alpha shift and he turned it off while still half asleep was the unnatural warmth in the bed. Although he was used to Ren radiating more heat than most people he knew, this realization was rather unusual, given that the dark-haired knight could not sleep in his usual pose on Hux's back because of the child's body between them. Nevertheless, at first Hux put it on his sleep-obsessed brain as he sat up and stretched his limbs before sliding to the edge of the mattress and stroking Ari's head in a tender gesture. Immediately all the alarm bells rang in him. Arihnda's hair was soaking wet and the child was warmer than normal, he didn't imagine that. No, she was burning up with fever.

"Light at fifty percent," Hux gave the order and the lamps came to life immediately, so that he could now say with certainty that his daughter's cheeks were red. They needed a medidroid. Immediately. 

"Ren, wake up." The dark-haired knight twitched briefly when he heard his request, then muttered something incomprehensible and went straight on to sleep, but Hux had no intention of letting him get away with it. "Ren, you must wake up. Ari is sick."

Now the black-haired knight was stirring. Dark eyes opened and he blinked sleepily into the subdued light before siting up and looking at Hux and then his daughter in confusion. "Ari has a fever," explained Hux, placing his fingers on the girl's forehead again, where a moment later Ren's hand joined him to come to the same conclusion. "I'll have a Droid come from the infirmary," the dark-haired man replied in a scratchy voice from sleep, then slipped out of bed and grabbed his datapad from the nightstand.

XXXXXX

Kylo Ren

It was strange, but until then Ren had always believed that people who were strong in the Force were immune to disease. That's what his uncle had taught him, and though Luke had been wrong about many things, there had never been a moment when Ren had doubted that statement. He himself could not remember ever having had such banal things as coughs or colds. The only times he had had to visit an infirmary were when he had suffered injuries in battle. Also Arihnda had never been sick since her birth 

\- until today. 

The medidroid who appeared in their quarters a short time later had to wake up the child for the examination, causing her to cry and complain about a headache and a raw throat, so Hux had to comfort her first before the Droid could examine her throat and ears. Conscientiously, he scanned her body, checking her temperature and lung activity in particular, while her fathers stood by and waited for a result, then came the all-clear. An infection, nothing serious, the medidroid let them know and prescribed antipyretic stims, tea and lozenges against the inflammation in her throat, which would be delivered immediately by the medical department. Nevertheless, Hux decided to change his daily schedule so that he could work in their quarters today. Though it had been a long time ago, he could well remember what it had been like for him as a child, lying alone in his quarters, feverish with Mandalorian flu, only under the supervision of a Droid. It was still a mystery to him where he caught it, but even though he had been bedridden for nearly two weeks, his father had never once let seen after him. 

Unlike the General, Kylo Ren did not have the luxury of changing his schedule to keep them company. Ending the planet's resource extraction without incident was a top priority for the ship right now, so he had scheduled several meetings with engineers from their fleet before a holonet conference with the commanders of the other Stardestroyers was planned for later that evening. Although the ships were scattered across half the galaxy, it was important to receive a status report at regular intervals to coordinate trajectories, discuss tactics and discover problems before they could get out of hand. Nevertheless, Ren didn't feel guilty about leaving his daughter alone with her illness, knowing she was in the best hands with Hux.

XXXXXX

General Hux

Despite the medication Arihnda was in an extremely grumpy condition throughout the day. When she wasn't sleeping, she whimpered, so that Hux could hardly get on with his work. At mealtimes, she nibbled rather than ate, but she drank all the more. At the beginning of the gamma shift, her symptoms were compounded by a cough, so the General, on the advice of the Medical Department, ordered a juice and a nebuliser for the night cycle to humidify the air in the quarters and thus make it easier for the girl to breathe. Nevertheless, she hardly felt better towards the evening. Whenever the stims lost their effect, the fever flared up again, so Hux injected her with the next one, so that she at least felt some relief.

"I'm hot," Ari complained as the General put her to bed at her usual bedtime.

"It will get better, you'll see. Tomorrow you will almost be well again," Hux replied and he really hoped that he was right about that, then he kissed her on the forehead and pulled the blanket over her little body. "Now sleep."

But it did not get better. It got worse. 

In the beginning, Hux tried to ignore the coughing while working at his desk, hoping that it would eventually subside, but the opposite was the case. 

Despite the nebulizer, which pumped clouds of moist air into the room, every time Arihnda breathed in, a moist, slimy sound could be heard, which triggered another violent coughing attack. Since he couldn't work like that anyway, Hux took her to his own bed, put several pillows under his back and leaned his daughter against his shoulder so that she lay elevated and could breathe more easily. 

He was worrying about his little girl beyond reason when he looked at her. Despite the medication, she was unnaturally warm and her eyes were shining feverishly, but the medidroid had made it clear that she was not to receive any antipyretic stims before the next cycle, so he tried to cool her forehead with moist cloths instead. To not let her know that something was wrong and to distract her from her cough, Hux told her stories of the Old Republic and the Empire, stroked her sweaty hair and gave her something to drink so she could cough up the tough mucus more easily, but none of this really brought her any relief. 

As the night cycle went on and no defusing of the crisis was in sight, Hux finally made a decision. Gently, not to wake Ari who had fallen into a restless sleep from exhaustion, he got up and walked over to the desk, from where he took his datapad and pressed the communicator application. Ren's frequency was still closed. Probably because he was still in that damn conference with the fleet commanders, so he finally called Captain Peavey, who was assigned to the Delta shift on the bridge.

"Go to the office of the Supreme Leader and tell him to meet me in the infirmary."

"But Lord Ren has made it clear that he does not want to be disturbed during the conference," Peavey dared to object, but Hux immediately wiped that aside.

"I do not care what he said. Go and tell him that his daughter is really very sick."

The captain nodded in duty. "Yes, sir."

Tbc ...


	2. Chapter 2

Set me free

Chapter 2

Into the great wild open  
Across a land of blood and dreams  
I will save your heart from breaking  
Won't you stop, please  
Set me free

(30 Seconds to Mars, Great wilde open)

General Hux

One thing Hux had to give the dark-haired knight credit for, he really had had to finish the conference immediately after Peavey had told him. There was no other way to explain how he had managed to get to the infirmary so quickly. The General and their daughter had arrived only slightly earlier, so the results of the new bioscan and blood and urine sample taken from the little girl, although she had fought it tooth and nail, were still pending. Hux had just managed to dry her tears when her father showed up, so as soon as she saw him, she started crying again until he took her in his arms and talked to her until she calmed down and fell asleep leaning on his shoulder from exhaustion. 

Restlessly, Hux walked up and down between the chairs in the waiting area while waiting for what the tests had revealed. Although the tests were all carried out by droids without exception, there was also a humanoid doctor in the infirmary, as in all areas of the Stardestroyer, who coordinated and supervised the work and, if necessary, conducted conversations with the patient or relatives, since the droids often lacked the sensitivity in transmitting diagnoses. For the treatment of an infection, an upset stomach or, as in the case of Hux's pregnancy, a droid was sufficient, but nobody liked to hear it from a machine when, for example, one was suffering from syphilis or did not have long to live. In his career, however, Hux had only dealt with droids before, which is why he immediately got a bad feeling when the doctor on duty, Dr. Patterson, called them into his office. 

Just like the waiting area and the treatment rooms, this room was furnished in white Duraplast. A harsh contrast to the otherwise rather dark colours of the quarters or offices, and also the doctor's uniform was white, with no insignia of rank on his shoulders, which marked him as a civilian member of the First Order. Nevertheless, he was under the command of the two men in front of him like all other crew members, which was why he greeted them with the due respect. "Supreme Leader, General, I'm afraid I do not have good news. We will have to quarantine your daughter."

"What?!" blurted it out of Hux. "Yesterday they said she had a simple cold!"

"According to the scans in her medical file, that was also true at that time," the doctor hurried to reassure him. "But in the meantime, the infection had worsened."

"That's impossible," the General objected. "We have done everything your unit ordered."

"I believe you, but today's examination has shown that Arihnda suffers from a congenital immune deficiency," explained Dr. Patterson, while showing them countless numbers, scales and curves on his datapad, which did not make the slightest sense to Hux. "Her bone marrow produces too few white blood cells, so she has practically no immune system. A normal airway infection like this would be easy for any healthy person to go through, but with her it has turned into life-threatening pneumonia."

Horrified, the General looked down at the little girl whose head lay at the bend of Ren's neck. She looked peaceful as she slept, her cheeks rosy but not as red as before, her arms hanging limp. Thanks to the freshly injected stims, the fever seemed to have dropped, but her lungs rattled audibly with each breath she took. "But it can be treated, can't it?" he went on.

The doctor tried to put on a cheerful face as he looked from one man to another. "I'll prescribe her an antibiotic for the infection, then she should be better within a week, but this will only treat the symptoms, not the cause. If she had grown up on a planet, this defect would have been discovered much faster, but here on the Stardestroyer, where there are practically no bacterias, her immune system has never been challenged. Every contact with other people can mean a new infection and every infection is a danger, every bacteria, however harmless, could be deadly for her, so she must be isolated by the crew".

In disbelief, Hux stared at the other man before he jumped up and ran up and down like an animal in a cage. Everything in him was in turmoil and he couldn't understand how Ren could remain so calm with all this devastating news. The otherwise so impulsive knight just sat there and stroked Arihnda's back in the same constant rhythm without saying a word, but Hux refused to accept the doctor's answer. Did not want it. Couldn't. "But there must be some form of treatment. Something we can do."

"A bone marrow transplant would be the only way to cure it permanently," the doctor explained, lowering the datapad and leaning back in his chair. "But for that we would need a suitable donor."

"Then find one, damn it!" Hux barked at him. "There are a hundred thousand people on this fucking ship, there must be someone you can take!"

"It's not that simple, General," Dr. Patterson tried to placate. "The donor's cells must have the same tissue characteristics as your daughter's That's difficult enough for blood relatives, but it's an absolute rarity for anyone else."

"Then take me," Hux offered and was about to take off his jacket to make himself available as a donor right here and now. "I'm her biological mother, I must have the same tissue characteristics as she." What normally used to cost him so much effort to express, now passed his lips without him even having to think about it. Apart from the fact that the doctor probably already knew the results of his medical examination and was also bound to secrecy, Hux was ready to reveal his innermost being at that moment if he could save Ari with it. His secret was worth nothing anyway when she died.

"I'm sorry, General, the database has already matched your results with those of your daughter and they do not match completely," the doctor replied regretfully. "Your own cells have a fifty-eight percent match, the Supreme Leader's is seventy-five. Unfortunately, this is not enough for a bone marrow transplant."

Hux froze in mid-movement. The hope that had just sprouted in him crumbled to dust before it could even grow properly. "It can't be," he replied defensively. "Are you trying to tell us it's hopeless? That we're just going to sit back and watch some virus kill our daughter?"

Dr. Patterson remained silent for a long moment, seemed to weigh up whether he could risk addressing the only option left. Eventually, he made a move. "There is another option. Siblings almost always have a better than ninety percent match in tissue characteristics."

A sharp pain cut into the General's chest at these words. He had always thought that the operation had been his salvation, but now it would become his downfall. "But I can't have any more children," he replied soundlessly. "My fallopian tubes are no longer intact."

"But your ovaries are," confirmed the doctor Hux's assumption from earlier. Apparently he actually knew his medical records. "We could mature an egg, take it along with the Supreme Leader's sperm and use a blood sample from your daughter to create an in vitro clone to grow the necessary cells."

The thought alone made Hux's blood freeze in his veins. "Absolutely not. I will not let you breed a child of ours in a lab glass. The Empire stopped creating clones for a reason." Never in his life would Hux forget the images he had seen in the records during his studies of the time of the Clone Wars. Photos of babies with missing limbs, open backs, deformed faces, flat skulls without brains. All of them consequences of failed cloning. Meticulously recorded in numbers, severity of deformity and survivability. He had not even endured half of these images before Hux had to finish reading them. Of course, the General knew that nature was not flawless either, but not in this frequency and severity. 

Nevertheless, the Empire had stopped cloning children not because of the loss rate in the laboratory, but because the adult clones were prone to misjudgement. Because of their identical genetics, they always acted the same way in certain situations despite their conditioning, which proved to be a disadvantage in battle. In addition, their mortality rate was much higher than that of real humans, even in later years. A clone would never reach the lifespan of a normal human. Hux could never do that to a child of his own.

"It would not have to become a mature embryo," Dr. Patterson tried to put the horror into perspective. "A fetus would be enough to harvest the cells."

Like that would make it any better. "No, I won't let you do that. Embryo or fetus, but you're talking about a child of my blood." Just the thought of a baby with Arihnda's face trapped behind glass, bred to die so she could live, made Hux go sick.

"It may sound cruel, but it would be a rescue for your daughter," the doctor replied emphatically.

"At the cost of the life of a child who would genetically be her twin!" Hux fiercely objected.

"Armitage. Calm down." Never, absolutely never Ren addressed him by his first name. It was like an unwritten law between them, just as Kylo was always Ren to him. And it was this very exclamation that first brought Ren into the conversation. 

But Hux would not calm down. How could he when he had just learned that Ari would die if he wasn't willing to have a clone of her created to serve as a living spare parts store? Alone when he saw in Ren's calm face, Hux wanted to scream and rage and break something and only the sight of his sleeping daughter kept him from really doing it. "How can I calm down when it's a dead child in any case!" it broke out of him anyway, and he heard for himself that he was about to become hysterical.

Ren had obviously heard it too, because instead of talking to him, he turned to the doctor. "Dr. Patterson, would you mind leaving us alone for a moment?"

In a devoted gesture the man bowed his head. "Of course, Supreme Leader," he replied immediately before getting up and leaving the room, pulling the door behind him into the lock.

No sooner had he left than Ren spoke to him again. "Please sit down and listen to me."

"I can hear you even while standing," Hux returned poisonously, but the other man only shook his head. "But I'd prefer you to look at me while we talk instead of walking back and forth all the time."

Although Hux was reluctant to comply with the request, he nevertheless sat down. A quarrel would not get them anywhere, and the fact that Ren had sent the doctor outside the door may have meant that he had found another solution. Something that might have had to do with methods that violated the First Order or with the dark side of the Force, but if that was the case, Hux would not care. "I'm all ears," he let the dark-haired knight know.

"There may be another way," Ren began. "I could cure you. Fix your fallopian tubes. We could father a child who could be Ari's savior. Without cloning and without it dying for her."

Hux could not believe his ears. "Excuse me? What are you saying?"

"Rey taught me how to heal." Ren knew he was skating on very thin ice here. They hadn't spoken the name of the scavenger girl for years, who had died in their last fight, but even though Ren knew how much Hux hated his former connection to this woman, it may have been their only option.

"I don't understand what this is all about then," the General replied confusedly. "What do we need a baby for? Why don't you cure Ari?"

"Because what our daughter has is not an injury or a disease," Ren explained, stroking the girl's narrow back once more. "It's a genetic defect from birth, something the Force can't fix. I am sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Hux growled in frustration. "There is finally that one thing the Forece would be good for and then it can't save our child."

"Please, at least think about it," Ren asked him before taking a hand from Ari's body and placing it gently on Hux's forearm. "If I could do it, I would, but I do not have the necessary parts."

"But I do, because I'm actually a woman in a man's disguise, that's what you're trying to say, isn't it?!" Hux said, shaking Ren's hand off. He didn't know what made him angrier. The fact that Ari was sick or that her only salvation was to discard the identity he had assumed since his youth and become a woman again.

"I'm not saying anything," Ren replied defensively. "Except in this matter, I have always treated you as a man, but there is no denying you have the capacity to bear children."

In a mixture of pride and anger, Hux raised his chin before challenging him with a glint. "I am more of a man than you will ever be because I chose to be one willingly."

Ren didn't respond to this, because there was nothing he could have said about it either. It was the truth. He himself would never understand what it was like for Hux to have to fight against nature and his own body to be who he felt he was. "I would never ask this of you if it were not a matter of life and death," he finally said. "You wouldn't do it for me or for the First Order. It would be for Ari."

"Yes, it fits into your plan perfectly, doesn't it?" Hux replied bitterly. "That you'll have your wish for a second child after all."

Despite the other man's hostile attitude, Ren still dared to put a hand on his forearm once more. "Do you think I wished for that?" Ren began in earnest. "That our daughter is terminally ill? I don't care what you think of me, but I love our child and would rather cut off my arm than watch her suffer. Please, Hux, I've known what you did for years. If I had wanted to, I could have just healed you while you slept without you noticing anything more than a pinch. But I respected your decision. I respected you, but this isn't just about us anymore. This is about our daughter's life."

"Don't you think I know that?!" Hux spat at him. It was just unfair to ask him to make that sacrifice. His daughter was his life. She meant more to him than his rank, than the Finalizer and the First Order combined, but having a second child because of her would cost him everything. "Do you think I don't care if she lives or dies? Hell, Ren, Ari is probably the only good thing we ever did together, but a second child? A baby to save Arihnda's life? It took me forever to recover from the first pregnancy and not feel like a stranger in my own body. I don't know if I could go through that again."

"You are not alone. I would help you the best I could," Ren offered, using the fact that the General had not yet fended off his hand to massage small circles on his arm with his thumb.

"Like you helped me then?" Hux asked sarcastically. "No, thank you very much."

The expression in Ren's eyes showed that he had hurt him with this accusation, but it was not the time to withdraw insulted because of it, so he continued anyway: "I swear, on Ari's life, I wouldn't do anything without talking to you about it. No decision and no medication without your express consent."

"Forgive me if I want to have it in writing beforehand," the General returned dryly. "That, as well as your absolute protection of the crew. Even if the last attack was a long time ago, I would not put my hand in the fire that a corrupt lieutenant or corporal, if he recognizes my condition, does not see this as an opportunity to put me aside."

"I didn't think insurance was necessary," Ren replied immediately. "I would never let anyone lay a hand on you. with or without my child in your belly."

Ren's words could be interpreted in many ways, as a declaration of love or even as a claim to the General, but no matter what Ren meant, it was good to know that he was reassured. "That's good to know, but even if I did agree with it, I'm forty-three, damn it. I don't even know if there's any chance I could still get pregnant."

"We could try," Ren encouraged the General. "We managed to procreate a life once, we could do it a second time. And if it doesn't work, we can always think about what the doctor said. Okay?"

Hux closed his eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath before finally nodding. "I never thought I would actually say this, but yes. I agree."

It was obvious that Ren was pleased with this answer. Probably he hadn't expected to be able to convince Hux, but what choice did he have? "Thank you. Whether it works or not, we'll get through this together. For Ari."

"To Ari."

XXXXXX

Kylo Ren

None of them told the doctor about their plan before they went back to their quarters. So far, no one aboard the ship knew of Ren's ability to heal and if he had his way, it would stay like that. Should they succeed, it would be soon enough to inform the medical department so that Hux could be provided with vitamins or other medicines. It had seemed right to him to perform the actual procedure not in the infirmary but in their quarters, where they were undisturbed and Hux could feel safe, yet there had been an underlying tension between them all the way back. While Ren gently laid Arihnda down to her bed, who due to her exhaustion did not notice when he injected an antibiotic stim into her neck, Hux stood beside him the whole time with an expressionless face. Ren could almost feel his nervousness and fear. It pulsed through him like a jamming signal did in a radio message. 

Of course, he understood that Hux was afraid of the cure. The General had no access to the Forece. Did not understand it. Didn't trust it like Ren did. He knew everything would be all right and he tried to convey this feeling to Hux as he looked at him in silence. For a long moment, the redhead returned his gaze with an intensity as if it was a trial of strength, as if he was trying to make Ren look away, but the knight looked back calmly, so that at some point the General casted his eyelids down. Hux sighed devotedly, then began to undo the buttons of his shirt. Ren did nothing, but just stood there, watching him until he had finished and it hung over one of the chairs at the dining table. Then Hux slipped off his shoes and took off his pants before laying them on the seat. 

When he turned to Ren, he noticed that the redhead's arms were covered with goose bumps. He trembled with tension, but that was not the way Ren wanted him. The danger that he would hurt Hux if he tensed up was just too great. He would have to let himself fall to make it work without pain. Silently, Ren asked him for his trust as he held out his hand to Hux and went to bed with him. There was something strangely intimate about the redhead lying on his back while Ren kneeled beside his body fully clothed. Although the General was still wearing his underwear, he felt almost as naked as when he had first slept with Ren. So he flinched unconsciously when he felt the knight's hands on the waistband of his panties, but Ren did not take them off. He merely pushed them down until the scar was visible, the scar that Arihnda owed her life to. 

Without being able to prevent it, Hux's eyes twitched back and forth until they found a spot on the ceiling to which he could attach them. His pulse was pounding so loudly that it would cause Ren a headache if he was exposed to the noise for any length of time, so he again called upon the Force for help. Ren's consciousness, with which he touched that of the General, was strong and calm and full of confidence as he tried to transmit this feeling to him and after several long minutes the tension finally slowly left Hux's body. His eyes closed and the hands, which he had just held tensed at his sides, opened until they lay calmly on the sheet, palms down. 

Now it could begin. The knight's fingers were warm and rough at the same time as he laid them on Hux's naked skin. He had to concentrate, groping deep inside the man next to him. At first he only felt the scar tissue under his hands, but then he dove deeper and deeper into him. Learned what the fibers Hux's body was made of felt like. Learned the difference between muscles and tendons, blood vessels and organs. Feeling the energy flowing through Hux, he followed these currents until he found a place where there was stillness. Where there was a disturbance, a rupture in the flow of the life force, he paused, focused his power, sent a burst of his energy, his own life force, into him to fix the disturbance, to heal Hux's body where the healers had cut the fallopian tubes at the time. Subconsciously he felt a tremor in the body under his hands, then he heard the General gasp for air, but since it was not a sound of pain, he continued until he realized that the energy was in balance. Only then did he withdraw. He groped his way out of Hux on the same path he had taken in him until his consciousness had returned to his own body. 

Ren took a deep breath, then opened his eyes, knowing that he had been successful.

Tbc ...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I swear to god  
I'm the devil  
Raise your hands to the sky and praise  
I'm a thief  
You're a liar  
But we live in our wildest dreams

(30 Seconds to Mars, Great wilde open)

Kylo Ren

It took five days until Arihnda was finally free of fever and neither Kylo Ren nor General Hux found too much sleep during this period. Despite the antibiotics, the little girl managed to develop a middle ear infection and tonsillitis in the days before the medication hit, which further worsened her overall condition. She could hardly eat, coughing nearly her lungs out and crying constantly in pain. For hours, one of her fathers had to carry her around and calm her down, and only when she was completely exhausted and at the end of her strength did she finally fall asleep with the help of the fever-reducing stims. During the first days Hux still tried to fulfill his duties as commander, but since he neither wanted to leave the quarters nor found the peace to work from here, he finally transferred his shifts to one of the other officers until Ari was better, so that he could share the care of his daughter with Ren and in the times she slept he could even close his eyes for a short time. Kylo Ren in return had put all activities that would mean an absence from the ship on hold and worked out of the quarters as far as possible. 

As much as he disliked not having any direct control over what was going on on the Finalizer, he couldn't leave his family alone at the moment. Even if Hux would never say it openly, he needed him. The redhead was on the verge of a breakdown in more ways than one. Nervous and mentally unbalanced by the cessation of his hormones, he constantly checked Ari's temperature and breathing, even when she was asleep, as if he was afraid she would die under his hands if he left her unattended for a moment. The day after the diagnosis was made in the infirmary, the General had a disinfection sluice installed in the entrance to their quarters, so that everything and everyone who passed through the door was made virtually germ-free. In addition, he had a medidroid on standby for her, which could scan her daughter at any time, from which he made use of again and again, especially in the critical phase of the illness. At least twice a day, he had the Droid come to her quarters and give Arihnda a bioscan to treat any deterioration of her condition at the first signs. 

Ren knew she was out of the woods when the girl first craved sugared Marilani Blossoms, a candy that was her favorite. While Ren usually let her eat what she wanted, Hux was usually knitted against giving her candy, but in this case, he too had no objection when she went after the flowers with appetite. Now that her illness was slowly subsiding, Hux finally calmed down, too, so he dared to leave her alone for a short time, but it wasn't until a month after the fatal diagnosis that he trusted her health far enough to resume his usual shift schedule. Arihnda's cough remained persistent and accompanied her to sleep even weeks later, but the doctors assured her fathers that she was out of danger for this time, which meant that they could now finally devote themselves to the plan of giving their daughter a sibling to save her.

XXXXXX

General Hux

Every morning the same procedure. Go to the toilet, divert a sample, wait for the results. He couldn't even say which one he preferred. A negative result that allowed him to follow his routine without delay or a positive result that again brought the hope of success this time.

The seconds passed.   
Finally a green light appeared. A fertile day.

Hux sighed devotedly as he pulled his panties back up and opened the bathroom door. He didn't have to go all the way to bed to see that Ren was awake. Brown eyes looked at him questioningly in the glow of the emergency lighting and Hux just nodded before turning around and going back to the bathroom. He left the door open behind him, knowing that the other man would not take long. Almost mechanically, he took off his underwear and dropped it on the floor before stepping into the shower and turning on the water. Despite the hissing, he heard the door close before a click indicated that it was locked. It was for the better, even though Ari was apparently still asleep.

With his eyes half closed, Hux stood under the jet of water as strong arms wrapped around him from behind. A hard body pressed against his back, while rough lips caressed his neck, kissed him, sucked and nibbled at him. It took some of the thrill to know that the sex was for one purpose only, yet Hux was glad that his body instinctively responded to Ren's presence. His baser instincts didn't care that his brain reacted reluctantly to the well-rehearsed, always the same routine. Without resistance, his body melted against the other man's, rubbing against his sex and getting wet when he felt the awakening of Ren's cock on his backside. Warmly Ren's breath hit him on his wet cheek, then the other man turned him around so that they were now face to face. 

Ren's pupils were wide with arousal as he looked at Hux, then kissed him on the mouth. Wet and hungry and ready and the General's lips moved with it like a copy. Demanding, Ren pushed him back until Hux's back touched the wall. His hands left and right of Hux body for support, he continued to kiss him until the General took one leg off the floor and put it against the opposite wall to make it easier for him to get access, then Ren pushed in. A strangled sound came over Hux's lips, but he quickly caught it. To keep his balance, he had put his arms around the knight's neck. His gaze held that of Ren, not allowing himself to look away, as if the contact was assuring him of control, and Ren returned the gaze. There was something burning, hypnotic in his eyes as he kept pushing into the General's body as if he made sure to succeed with his will alone. The ripple of the water drowned out their harsh breathing, but the wet sound of their bodys clashing together was still audible. It wasn't long before they were both shaking and trembling, and when Ren shoved his hand between their bodies and stroked across the nerve bundle in Hux's vagina with his thumb, it finally happened, and the General came with a strangled sound that seemed to be a suppressed curse and a moan at the same time. They both knew that the likelihood of conception increased when Hux had an orgasm, which was why Ren always made sure Hux reached his climax. It didn't take long until the contraction of his muscles brought Ren over the edge as well and he poured into him with a sound deep in his throat.

For a long moment they stood like this, still conected to one body, waiting for Ren's seed to have a chance to implant itself in Hux's body. Only when his member slowly went limp did Hux take his leg down and the dark-haired knight slipped out of him. With no big words, just a gentle pressing of his lips on the redhead's hairline, Ren washed himself clean before getting out of the shower and leaving Hux to his morning toilet. The General thoroughly cleaned off the remains of the sperm that was about to run down his legs, hoping and praying that it had worked this time before washing the rest of his body and starting the actual routine.

They had been trying to father a child for five months, without success. Apart from the same symptoms he had had when Ren changed his injections, Hux didn't notice much difference in the first few months. His beard growth had stagnated, shaving more of a habit than really necessary. The pitiful rest of his breasts were extremely sensitive, he had hot flushes and was repeatedly dizzy, but he did not bleed, which in his oppinion almost confirmed that the so-called healing had been a flop, even though the doctors had said after a scan that his fallopian tubes were intact again. It just took a little while for his body to get the male hormones out of the system. They just had to be patient, they were told, but Hux, with his tactical calculation, couldn't do without a plan. In mutual agreement, they had decided to allow six months for the first phase. If he had not become pregnant by then, he would allow the doctors to inject him with hormones that would ensure that more than just one egg per month matured, thus increasing the chance of fertilization. Only when they had also tried this possibility would Hux allow them to even consider in vitro fertilization. But that was not yet the case. There was still hope, even though it diminished with every month that passed. 

Mixed feelings had come up in him when, four months after the last injection, he actually had a menstruation. Never before had Hux been so disgusted by his own body as now, when it made him realize more than ever that he was not the man he felt he was, but the woman he had never wanted to be. But apart from the unwillingness to endure the effects of the female cycle, the blood gave rise to the hope that they would finally succeed. Like a mantra, he had conjured up the image of his daughter while changing the padding in his trousers several times a day and cleaning himself after each visit to the toilet. He did this for her, for her life and this sacrifice would be worth everything he endured.

Which ultimately included sex. Not that he had anything against sleeping with Ren, he had gotten used to that over the last few years, but the fact that a computer was now telling them the times they had to be intimate with each other if they wanted the chance to have a baby made him frustrated and angry at the same time. Every morning the same test to see if he was fertile and then a quickie before his shift. Since Arihnda was not allowed to leave their rooms, she had too much energy and slept worse, so they agreed to move the morning act to the wet room. Either in the shower or standing against the door. It wasn't necessarily ideal, but it was the only undisturbed area in their quarters, although in the absence of alternatives they had already become intimate in Hux's office. After all, there was a desk and a chair so they could vary their positions. Nevertheless, the sex after a schedule began to tug at both their nerves. They needed a result and they needed it soon so Ari could finally be cured. 

When General Hux left the bathroom twenty minutes later, he found Ari in the company of her father who was handing out the breakfast utensils at the table which a droid had brought over while she spoke to him lively. Apparently the little one had just woken up, because her face was swollen from sleep and she was still wearing her nightgowns, but still her ranting could hardly be stopped and Hux asked himself not for the first time from whom she had inherited this. 

"Good morning, Princess," he greeted his daughter, who rushed to him as soon as she saw him. "Pa, are you going to the bridge?"

"Yes, my love. I am scheduled for the alpha shift," the General explained, lifting Ari on his arm and kissing her on the cheek lovingly. Even without looking at Ren, he noticed the dark-haired man's eyes resting on him. Obviously both of them already had an inkling in which direction the conversation would develop, since there were repeated scenes like this in the last weeks.

"I want to go with you again. May I?" Ari asked the question Hux had been afraid of at that moment.

"You know that's not possible," he replied regretfully before he put her down on the floor again and slipped into his shoes in front of her eyes. They had tried to explain it to her as understandable as possible without scaring her. That there were tiny little germs lurking there that had made her sick before and that her immune system was not up to. That she could die from it, she didn't need to know.

"But I haven't been coughing for a very long time," the child insisted. "I am quite healthy. I really am." Hopefully she looked up to her father, who, however, avoided her gaze.

"I know, but for it to stay that way, you have to stay here." After putting on the jacket of his uniform, Hux took a look at his datapad, which he had placed on the sideboard. If he didn't leave now, he wouldn't be able to get to the bridge before his shift started. As commander of the Finalizer, he had a role model function that he took very seriously. If he did not arrive on time, how could he expect his crew members to do so?

"But I don't want to stay here. It's boring here. I want to go with you." Big blue eyes with tiny brown speckles looked up at Hux and the General needed all his strength not to break in. She just didn't understand it yet, after all, she was only four years old. No matter what arguments he made, his daughter would not accept any of them, but thank heaven Ren came to his aid at that moment.

"Princess, I'll stay with you this morning," the dark-haired knight offered himself by stepping closer. "We can practice together how to build a tower of the blocks you were given with the Force. Or we can make your Ewok float to the top of the shelf. What do you think?"

"But I want to go with Pa!" The glasses on the table began to clink significantly while Arihnda threw a tantrum. Not much longer and things would start flying around. It would not be the first incident of this kind. Only a week ago a vase had broken when she hadn't gotten her way, but none of her fathers was willing to let her get away with these not only proverbial power games. 

"Ari, it's enough now. Be nice and let Papa go." With a look on her face that told the little girl that he would not tolerate any backtalk or use of the Force, Ren took her arms from Hux's leg to which she had clung and placed her on one of the chairs at the table, where she remained sitting with tears in her eyes and a trembling lower lip. With a heavy heart, Hux turned away, but he had not yet reached the disinfection sluice at the door to the corridor when Ren caught up with him and pressed a silver can into the General's hand.

Confused, Hux frowned. "What is this?"

"Breakfast," Ren explained, before adding emphatically. "And I expect you to eat it."

XXXXXX

General Hux

Since Arihnda could no longer leave her quarters, Hux appreciated it even less than before when Ren left the Stardestroyer for a mission, since it meant that he not only took over the duties of the Supreme Leader during his absence, but also had to take care of their daughter alone, who seemed to be bursting with energy at the moment. Though he tried to schedule his appointments so that he had to leave their rooms as little as possible, it was hardly possible to arrange everything so that he could work out of his quarters for several days, if not even longer, which was why he had to leave the child with the Nanny Droid more often than he wanted. 

But although the machine was an immense relief, it was no substitute for a human being of flesh and blood, so Ari bounced around him after his shift like a rubber ball and tried to convince him to play, which of course he couldn't refuse. When she was unbalanced, the force-outbursts increased and although Hux tried to remain unimpressed by this, he was aware that she could unintentionally hurt or even kill him with it. While he was not afraid of her, he would not risk her throwing a tantrum if he could prevent it. And so it happened that after a shift of sometimes twelve hours he sat on the floor and played tea party with Arihnda and her stuffed animals until he could hardly keep his eyes open due to exhaustion.

Ren was well aware of this fact, but after a call for help from Yavin 4, he couldn't refuse to join the troops that the First Order sent out to help the people who had been attacked by their neighboring planet.

"Make sure you're not gone for more than a few days," Hux gave him a farewell address and Ren replied, "Don't worry, I'll be back by the first cycle of hormone therapy at the latest." Although the dark-haired knight would not be needed for the procedure for the time being, Hux wanted him at his side for the physically and emotionally demanding treatment. Every day he would have to take an injection, and although he was not afraid of the needles, he dreaded the consequences. From his research from the Holonet, he now knew that almost every conceivable side effect could occur: Migraines, sleep disturbances, fatigue, mood swings, even depression, abdominal and muscle cramps, back pain and bleeding. If even half of these occurred in his case, the General would not be able to take care of Arihna and cover Ren's post on the side. He was lucky if he could do his own work without mistakes. 

But Ren kept his promise. From the reports that the Supreme Leader and his troops sent to the Finalizer, Hux learned that although the fighting was heavy, the losses had mainly thinned out the ranks of the enemy whose army they were virtually destroying in the final battle, so that the aggressors finally had to surrender. Six days after landing on Yavin 4, Ren was conducting peace negotiations with the neighboring planet and ten hours later he was sitting in the cockpit of his Silencer, on his way back to the Stardestroyer, where he was bursting dirty and bloody and sweaty in the middle of the Beta shift in Hux's office. 

Though the general had known that the dark-haired knight was on his way back, he still thought he could discuss some messages marked urgent with Captain Peavey before he awaited Ren in their quarters. But in the end, he had been faster than him. The sound of the door sliding to the side without anyone asking to enter made him pause in his conversation as Ren rushed into the room, only to stop abruptly before reaching the officer standing in front of Hux's desk.

"Supreme Leader," Peavey greeted his superior respectfully, but Ren, holding the helmet in his hand, just stared from one to the other without saying a word.

"Thank you, Captain, that will be all," Hux dismissed his subordinate, while noticing how nervous the officer became due to Ren's presence. 

"Very well, General." Peavey saluted obediently, then turned away and left the office while Ren still stood there in silence. Only when the door closed behind the officer, he sought the General's gaze. "You are pregnant."

It wasn't a question, no, it was an observation and it hit Hux so unprepared that for a moment he couldn't do anything but stare at Ren in surprise. After almost six months of waiting and hoping, this news came so unexpectedly that Hux could not have been more surprised if the other man had told him that he had discovered a third eye on his forehead. Of course, there had always been this little glimmer of hope that had stubbornly refused to disappear, even though all attempts had failed. But the closer the day came when he had to undergo the damned hormone therapy, the more Hux had given up hope for a miracle. Until now.

"What?" he said after an almost endless seeming silence. "What makes you think so?"

"I can feel it," Ren explained, allowing himself to smile. "You remember I told you the older Ari got, the brighter the power shines in her, right?" Hux nodded silently. "Well, compared to her light, this is like a spark, no more than a firefly, but it's there."

Hux swallowed mechanically while trying to let the message sink. "How long do you think it's been?"

Cluelessly Ren shrugged his shoulders. "It's hard to tell. All I know is it wasn't there when I left for Yavin 4. Compared to the first time you were pregnant, I'd say three weeks maybe."

That would at least explain why he had not yet had a missed period. It was still too fresh for that and his cycle also fluctuated greatly. Three weeks, Ren had said, and at the same moment Hux had seen in his eyes that he thought he knew pretty much when it must have happened. Probably the day the knight had visited him in his office with a bottle of wine in the evening cycle. Phasma had looked after Ari during that time. The fact that the little girl had been sick because of her had been gnawing at the officer since the incident, so that although Hux assured her that he didn't blame her, she still felt that she had to make up for something, which was why she kept offering to look after Arihnda in her spare time when her fathers were indisposed. 

It had been more than obvious that Hux had been under enormous pressure over the last few months and Ren wanted to take the opportunity to talk to him alone. He could feel how the General was gnawing at the fact that they had not succeeded in fathering a child and that Hux was silently blaming himself for this. He was too old, had been injecting male hormones for too long, or his fallopian tubes were too crippled to work despite Ren's healing. If Ari got sick and died it was because he failed. Because his body just wasn't able to do what it was designed to do. Because he had rendered it useless by his choice.

"It's not true what you think," Ren had let him know that night while pouring Hux a glass. "No one blames you for not being successful yet, and you should stop torturing yourself about it."

"How could I when time is working against us," the redhead had replied as he lifted the wine glass and took a deep draught from it to relieve the tension that was causing his neck to hurt.

"You must let go," had been Ren's wise advice, before he himself had had a sip of wine. "If it happens, it happens, and if it doesn't, we'll take a different path." With these words he had kissed Hux and he had tried to take the advice to heart and the kiss was returned. In the beginning it had been nothing more than an exchange of caresses, but thanks to the wine the mood had become so heated that they had had sex on Hux's desk and apparently this act had actually been successful.

Pregnant.

Although Hux had waited so long to hear this word, it was somehow surreal. Somehow, he had expected to feel different when Ren had actually managed to get him pregnant, but he still felt the same as he had in the weeks before. Not that he would really miss the nausea he had suffered in the first trimester of his pregnancy with Arihnda. But that he was feeling good at the moment didn't mean anything, that could still come, if Ren was right in his assumption at all. Maybe the dark-haired knight just saw things he wished were true. "I should go to the infirmary for an examination. Just to be sure."

„I'm sure. Error impossible," Ren returned unimpressed by the General's doubts. "Nevertheless, I think an examination is a good idea. to make sure everything is as it should be."

Tbc...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Into the great wide open  
Across a land of blood and dreams  
I will save your heart from breaking  
Won't you stop, please  
Set me free

(30 Seconds to Mars, Great wide open)

Kylo Ren

It was not really spectacular. A small black spot in a sea of grey on the screen and yet all their hope rested in it. Their baby and at the same time Ari's salvation. A smug smile played around Kylo Ren's lips as the young doctor told them after the scan, that the fetus was about three weeks old, a few days give or take, and he couldn't help but look at the General, like he wanted to tell him that he had said so. As relieved as Ren was about the first hurdle been cleared, he could read in Hux's mind that he didn't dare to relax despite the good news. He still didn't trust the peace, since he knew how high the probability of losing the child in the first three months was. Although the doctor assured him that everything seemed normal, Hux demanded a daily bioscan, even though he knew that this would not prevent a miscarriage if it happened, but being able to oversee the processes in his body gave him a feeling of security, so Ren allowed him to keep a medidoid in their quarters for the duration of the pregnancy without discussion.

For Arihnda, the droid was like a new toy that she got. She could ask him her childish questions, which rarely had anything to do with the machine's field of activity and which he couldn't answer, but that didn't seem to stop her from doing it anyway, just like she kept taking pictures of her body, which she viewed then on her datapad. Even though the droid was actually meant for Hux, Ren let her have her way if it made her happy. God knew there wasn't much he could give her at the moment to make her captivity in their quarters easier, she should be happy with it until she lost interest.

XXXXXX

General Hux

By the stars, why had he given into this ... Exhausted, Hux leaned his head against the cool wall of the wet room. It would probably have been too much to ask if he had been spared the nausea and vomiting this time. Every morning he was woken by the fact that his stomach was contracting, and he managed to jump out of bed and rush into the bathroom just in time before he spat his gut out. Again and again the nausea overcame him until there was nothing left to cough up, so that his empty stomach contracted painfully while he spat saliva and bitter bile into the toilet. It was awful, just disgusting and there was nothing he could do about it. None of the medication the infirmary had prescribed for him had shown any effect yet and Hux hated losing control over his body each time it happened.

When the cramps were finally over, the redhead stayed on the floor for a moment to collect himself and fight the feeling of dizziness before he pulled himself up, rinsed his mouth and washed his hands. When he opened the wet-room door, he felt shaky and weak, but he still tried not to let it show when his eyes fell on Ren, who had been waiting for him outside, but stopped his attempts to lead him to the bed immediately when Hux wordlessly fended his hands off. Over his dead body, he would never allow himself this sign of weakness. Although he accepted the glass with an electrolyte liquid, which Ren handed him as he lowered himself onto the edge of the mattress, and drank it down in small sips so as not to upset his sore stomach before lying back under the blanket and closing his eyes. 

"I will send a message to the bridge that Colonel Kaplan will take your shift today," he heard Ren's hushed voice before the mattress moved as the dark-haired knight sat down on the other side of the bed.

"The hell you will," Hux replied roughly. "I can do my service and I will do my service. I just need a short break." With that the matter was settled for him and Ren didn't dare to make another attempt to change his mind. The General still had half an hour before he had to wake up Ari and get ready for his shift and he planned to use this time to recover from the morning ordeal.

XXXXXX

Kylo Ren

Where the morning sickness got its name from was not clear to Kylo Ren, because it often tormented Hux for half the day. Of course, he was not deterred from working his shift as planned, even though he looked more and more hollow-cheeked every day. Ren was reluctant to see him like that, but since Hux refused to report sick, Ren could do no more than accept it. Although their schedule kept them busy, they always tried to arrange to eat together with their daughter at least once a day, but since the beginning of the pregnancy, these shared meals were torture for the General. In order not to let Ari notice how bad he was feeling, he kept her company while eating, but couldn't do more than poking around in his food, while at the same time he encouraged her to empty her plate and still couldn't watch her without retching. If there was any kind of meat or fish on the menu, it was even worse. Then Hux usually didn't even make it through the door of their quarters before throwing up and didn't return to the table until the food and all the plates had disappeared.

As he had promised, Ren tried to help him with the symptoms as much as he could. He supplied him with electrolyte liquids and salty crackers when Hux couldn't keep anything down to give his body a minimum of energy. He put a cool compress on his forehead when Hux couldn't get up because of headaches and dizziness and he took care of Ari, accompanied her toilet routine, read to her and put her to bed when the General was not well enough to support him in her care and he ate with her alone when Hux couldn't stand the smell of the food. It was not easy in the quarters to make sure that the redhead got the rest he needed. Arihnda was just too young to really understand what consideration meant, but despite her young age, she tried to help Ren to be there for her father by giving him one of her favorite cuddly toys to comfort him when he lost the fight against nausea again.

But although his clothes began to hang loosely around his thin frame, the scans that Hux had done regularly confirmed that the baby was fine. The doctors in the infirmary, who they visited every two weeks, were also satisfied. The baby developed normally, as confirmed by an amniocentesis to rule out early malformations. Apparently, it took enough of his reserves for its development, even if there was hardly anything left for Hux. He had lost three kilos since the beginning of the pregnancy, but a small swelling of his lower abdomen was already visible. "This is completely normal with the second pregnancy," the doctor on duty reassured him when Hux expressed concerns about it. "The body is changing faster than the first time. Nothing to worry about."

Kylo Ren, however, loved it even more to put his hand on Hux's stomach, if he let him, even if he knew that he would not feel any movement for a long time. The child was still too small, his thinking too underdeveloped for him to do more with the Force than to touch his consciousness, to let it feel that he was there. But making this contact meant a lot to him. Even if he did not say it, he felt remorse for what he had done to the General during his first pregnancy. He had stolen the first months from him by forcing him to spend them as if in a fog. That was why this time he wanted to include Hux in what it was like to feel the new life growing, to feel it with him more consciously than the first time, and although Hux was reluctant to form a bond with the child inside of him, Ren could feel that it relaxed him when he lay in bed next to him, put his hand on the small bump and stroked his skin with his thumb over and over again while he buried his face in Hux's neck at the same time. There was nothing sexual about this gesture, simply an attempt to give closeness and security, and it worked to the extent that the tension and restlessness disappeared from Hux's thoughts and he allowed himself to become calm under Ren's hands and to block out the problems that were bothering him.

XXXXXX

General Hux

"Princess, this is a very expensive, highly sophisticated First Order medidroid that we borrowed from the infirmary only temporarily," Hux told his daughter while unscrewing the cover of the robot's back and removing a defective module from a circuit. In moments like these, he was grateful for the extensive training he had been given, allowing him to do little things himself without having to call a technician or replace the droid. "I forbid you to contaminate it with any more food."

"But we were just playing picnic," sulked the little girl who had been caught while the droid had been in loading mode standing on his station, pouring soup into the analysis scanner. "Nothing happens to Nana when I do that either." 

"Your Nanny Droid is more robustly built, but I expect you to not waste resources by feeding it to one of the droids again," Hux continued rigorously before installing a new module and closing the cover.

"Who am I going to play with if no one has time for me!"

Her childlike pain coupled with the tremor of the Force that made the glasses on the dining table shake hit him right in the heart. It was not easy to find the balance between his command, the goals of the First Order and his family life. At first, after the little one had recovered from pneumonia, he threw himself into work head over heels to catch up on his workload and make up for lost time as quickly as possible. Afterwards Ren and he himself had only ever thought about the problems of conceiving a baby, and then, when it finally worked, the morning sickness had hit him with full force, so that their daughter had been left to herself too often. 

Yet they did all this only for her. Together with Ren, Hux had agreed not to tell Arihnda about the baby until it was unavoidable. On the one hand, nine months was a long period of time and at her age the concept of a pregnancy was something very abstract anyway, which she could not yet grasp, and on the other hand, Hux did not want to raise false hopes in her for a potential playmate in case something went wrong in the end. But without an adequate explanation the girl just felt abandoned.

"You're right," he let her know. "Tomorrow I'll come back from the bridge early, and we'll read something or watch a holovideo together or play with your Tauntauns or Ewoks or Porgs. Whatever you want."

"Promise?"

"I promise, but now come and have the rest of your soup."

Satisfied with having wrested this promise from her father, Arihnda had eaten her dinner, been to the bathroom and, after a story, had gone to bed without protest, so that she was already asleep when Ren returned to their quarters sometime during the Delta shift. Since Hux had arrived in his fourth month of pregnancy, the nausea had subsided as quickly as it had come, so that Ren could finally devote himself to his duties as much as possible. Once again there had been riots on a planet under their protection, so the First Order had sent a Stardestroyer to restore peace. Though Kylo Ren had decided to send the Steadfast, under Allegiant General Pryde's command, instead of the Finalizer, he remained in constant contact with the commander via holo-conference and remotely monitored the intervention of their forces. As a result, his head was busy and his thoughts rather absent when Hux told him about Arihnda's escape later when they were lying in bed side by side. Nevertheless, he tried hard to take his daughter's concerns seriously.

"I could take her with me to my private gym so she could work out," suggested Ren, while lying on his back, thoughtlessly scratching his arm.

Even in the semi-darkness of the emergency lighting, it was clearly visible how Hux shook his head. "You know you can't do that because of the germs."

"I could have it disinfected beforehand," Ren added after a moment's thought.

"And the way to get there?" the General objected. "No, it's too dangerous."

"Then I will train with her in the quarters," the dark-haired knight decided.

Hux sighed as he thought of all the things that would break. "There's hardly enough room here."

Ren turned his head so that he could look directly at the profile of the other man before he replied passionately, "Hux, she's like a caged animal. She needs to exercise, a way to release her powers, or she's going to explode and who knows what will happen than.“

"I know." Tired, the redhead shook his head. "But I have no idea what to do about it either. Somehow we'll have to get through the next six months."

"We will." Ren turned on his side for his usual sleeping position, pulling Hux with him so that he could press his body against the General's back. With his arm around him, his hand rested on his stomach, as it often did, just above the spot where the caesarean scar was. Since Hux was finally able to eat normally again, a little fullness had returned to his emaciated body, so that lying on his side in particular made his belly more prominent than it usually was. The Force in the young life growing under his fingers felt warm and pure, and he imagined that if he held it like this, his child would feel safe and protected. It worked on Hux, at least, by silencing his whirling thoughts until he finally let go and surrendered to the open arms of sleep.

XXXXXX

General Hux

Although it hardly seemed possible, the day had been even more exhausting than the previous one. The situation on the planet Quiloo, where they had been called for help, was more complicated than it had seemed at first. Several internal and external powers were fighting for supremacy, and it was not clear to whom the loyalty of the First Order applied. Kylo Ren had not left his office for several cycles, where he held a permanent conference with the Steadfast officers, who kept him informed of any developments. There seemed to be no end in sight yet, so Hux had taken care of Ari alone before, in the middle and after his shift. When he had returned to their quarters at the end of his shift, he had put the two Droids into loading mode so that they would be fully charged again tomorrow when he had to return to the bridge. Now he was tired and his head hurt, but he still went through the same ritual with his daughter as every night, from dinner to brushing her teeth, washing her hands and combing her hair, to reading the bedtime story, but even though he loved telling her about Count Doku, General Grievous and the Clone Wars, the letters on the datapad blurred more and more before his eyes until he finally had to stop before he finished the story.

"Sorry, Princess," he apologized to his daughter by kissing her on the wild curls. "I'm totally exhausted. We'll read on tomorrow."

"But I am not tired at all", Arihnda said.

"I'm sure you will be as soon as you close your eyes," Hux insisted while he lifted her into her bed and covered her carefully. 

But Ari kicked herself free again immediately and sat up. "But I want to say good night to Daddy."

"Daddy is working late today, I told you," Hux replied with all the patience he could muster. "You can see him tomorrow and wish him good morning. Now go to bed."

"But...,“ the little one made one last try.

Her father looked her in the face. "No, Ari, this is enough. Go to sleep."

Disappointed Arihnda glared at him before she lay back on the pillow and obediently closed her eyes. There you go. Hux was so exhausted that he was overwhelmed by sleep as soon as his head touched the pillow, but since he heard no more protest from his daughter, he assumed that she had fallen asleep quickly as well. When he awoke an hour later, however, to the fact that the familiar, warm body next to him was missing and, out of habit, let his eyes wander to her bed in the light of the emergency lighting, he found it empty. All of a sudden Hux was wide awake. 

"Ari?" he asked into the darkness while he sat up jerkily. No answer. "Light at eighty percent!" Even before the lights came on, Hux was on his feet. "Ari!" First he ran into the bathroom, even though the door was open and it was dark inside, only to find it empty. He searched behind every shelf, in every closet, in every cavity, but his daughter had disappeared. With an uneasy feeling, Hux went to the door of the quarters, only to find that it was no longer locked. He was sure he had locked it with a code when he came back from his shift. He always did, knowing that Ren could open it with the Force to get inside. How was that possible? Ari had never been out alone before and she didn't know the code.

In panic, Hux grabbed his datapad and activated the communicator function. It took what felt like an eternity before Ren's frequency was opened, but before the dark-haired knight could say anything, Hux bursted out. "Ari's disappeared. I put her to bed and fell asleep and suddenly she was gone and the door was unlocked!"

"I'll be right there."

XXXXXX

Kylo Ren

A few minutes later, half the ship was on alert. As Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren had the power and authority to transmit the search message over all frequencies to the crew members, so that everyone would keep an eye out for her. Normally someone would have noticed that the only child on board was wandering the corridors alone, but they were in the middle of the delta shift and only an emergency crew kept the most important processes on the ship going, but now Ren had pretty much got everyone out of bed. Without stopping, his datapad beeped to keep him informed of the status of the search. It was only a matter of time before they found her, Ren was sure of it, yet he felt Hux's concern pulsing through the Force. If it had been up to the General, they would be out there now, too, looking for her, but although Ren was also anxious, he had convinced Hux that it made more sense to wait in their quarters and coordinate the search. 

"We'll find her," he reassured the General, who was pacing up and down like a predator in a cage.

"I know, but what if by then it's too late? What if she's been infected with some kind of virus again?" Panickedly gestured Hux to his swollen stomach. "Then all was in vain. Our plan, the child, everything."

"If she gets sick again, we will find a solution," Ren tried to radiate confidence. "The doctors will treat her just like they did the last time."

"And if not?" insisted the General. "What if she dies? Then it is my fault!"

"Don't say that. It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault. And she won't die either," Ren replied emphatically, but Hux just shook his head. "If I hadn't fallen asleep, none of this would have happened."

In a consoling gesture Kylo Ren put a hand on his shoulder. "You're only human, Hux, and you need rest, if only for the baby. That's okay. I don't blame you for our daughter running away. Children are like that, they don't think rationally."

At that moment, his datapad beeped again, so Ren stopped talking to Hux but instead took a quick look at the screen. A feeling of relief flooded through him as he read the message. "They got her," he let Hux know. "Phasma is on her way to our quarters as we speak."

With a sigh of relief, Hux ran his fingers through his hair. "Thank the stars." It seemed endless to him, but in fact it only took a quarter of an hour before a signal on the panel next to the door announced their arrival. Although Ren was immediately on his feet, Hux was first at the entrance and activated the opening mechanism. The stormtroopers, who accompanied Phasma, waited in the corridor while the officer stepped through the door with the child in her arms. The disinfection airlock hissed as it fogged the newcomers from all sides and only when the process was complete could Phasma enter.

"Pa!" Hux immediately took his daughter from her arms. Ari was barefoot and wearing her nightwear, over which the officer had put a blanket, but at first sight his daughter seemed to be fine. "Princess," said Hux, and the relief at seeing his girl again washed over him like a wave. Kylo Ren had silently stepped to his side and stroked the little girl's head. "We were so worried," he let her know. "I told you not to go out there."

"I just wanted to say good night to you, but I couldn't find the way anymore," Arihnda admitted before she yawned heartily.

"But how did you open the door?" Ren asked her.

"I used the Force," Arihnda explained as if it was a matter of course. "Like you always do."

As proud as Kylo Ren felt at that moment, he knew that from now on it would be much harder to keep her in their quarters if she did not want to.

"I found her outside one of the storage rooms for trooper armor," Phasma explained. "She was frightened, but otherwise unharmed." It was a strange coincidence that of all the people Ari could have met, Phasma found her, but it calmed Ren to know that his daughter had been picked up by someone in whom the General and himself had the most confidence.

"Thank you for bringing her back," he said to the officer as he watched Ari tiredly rubbing her eyes. "But now it is late and we should all sleep. I will report to the high command that you have earned yourself a day off tomorrow."

Phasma respectfully tilted her head. "Thank you, Supreme Leader, General. That's very generous. Good night." With a last glance at Arihnda, who had laid her head on Hux's shoulder and could hardly keep her eyelids open, she saluted, then turned away and left the quarters.

Immediately Hux sought the gaze of the dark-haired knight. "We have to get her checked out."

"Tomorrow," Ren decided. "Look how tired she is. We should put her to bed now."

Hux's lips moved in silent contradiction, but knowing Ren was right, he said nothing as he carried their daughter to her bed and carefully lifted her inside. Ari just blinked sleepy for a moment, then she took her favourite Ewok in her arms, turned on her side and a moment later she was already asleep. Carefully Hux spread the blanket over her so she wouldn't get cold. 

The General felt completely at the end of his rope, too, as he wiped his hands over his aching eyes. "What about the Steadfast, can Pryde handle it?" he asked before looking at Ren who was standing next to him at the cot.

"I hope so," replied the dark-haired knight, then turned away and began to take off his clothes. "Otherwise, his next command will be at an outpost in the Outer Rim."

"That would serve him right," Hux replied, while once again making his way to the bathroom. It was an open secret that he had an antipathy towards Pryde, who had already served in the Galactic Empire together with his father. He would not go so far as to say that the two had been friends, but they had respected each other. A circumstance that didn't apply to him and Pryde, but since the commander of the Steadfast had not (yet) done anything wrong, he could hardly demand his head. Hux no longer heard if Ren replied, as he closed the door of the wet room behind him before opening the lid of the toilet to relieve himself before going to sleep, but as he pushed his pants down, he froze when he saw the distinct red spots in his underwear.

Tbc ...


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Set me free  
Set me free  
Set me free

(30 Seconds to Mars, Great wide Open)

General Hux

"I can't lose it. No way, I can't lose this child." Hux was white as a sheet, while he sat bent over on a strecher in the examination room. It was now almost early morning and the exhaustion stuck to him like a second skin. Nevertheless, the thoughts in his head ran amok, so that he held the palms of his hands pressed against the eye sockets to reduce the pressure that seemed to lie on his brain. Kylo Ren, who was at least as tired as the General, stood at his side and had one hand on his back while he spoke to him. "Calm down, you won't lose it. The scan was fine and I can still feel the baby. It's fine."

When the General had stormed out of the bathroom and told him about the bleeding, Ren had been worried, too, but the Force assured him there was no reason to panic. But despite his testimony and the bioscan, Hux had insisted on being examined in the infirmary to clarify the cause of the bleeding while Ari slept under the supervision of the reactivated Nanny Droid. Until now he had always trusted the scans, but in this case he wanted to play it safe. "Then why was I bleeding?" he asked the question that kept haunting his mind.

"I don't know," Ren admitted, "but I'm sure there will be a perfectly harmless explanation."

The female doctor who came in the next moment knew them already from one of their previous visits. "Supreme Leader, General. I understand your concern, but I assure you that most bleeding during pregnancy has completely harmless causes. Nevertheless, it is important to clarify why this happened. However, I'm going to have to do more than scan you, so I'd like you to take of your trousers and your underwear."

Hux swallowed hard, but then did what she had asked him to do with a side glance at Kylo Ren. From the last months of his pregnancy with Arihnda, he had an inkling of what was to come, but it was a completely different thing to have such an intimate examination as an anonymous patient in a small medical center in the middle of nowhere than in the Finalizers infirmary. The doctor, like all the other crew members on the ship, was under his orders and he was reluctant to look so vulnerable. Accordingly, it was difficult for him to expose himself in front of the woman, but if he wanted to be sure, he had to do it anyway. "I would appreciate it if you would wait outside," he let Ren know when he made no attempt to leave, although Hux was now only dressed in panties.

"And I would appreciate it if you would not exclude me," the dark-haired knight returned unimpressed.

"Why, when you are so sure the baby is fine?" Hux returned a little more venomous than he had intended, but Ren ignored the side blow to his abilities simply by quietly returning: "Maybe I just want to know that there is nothing wrong with you, too.“

Hux snorted audibly before he slipped out of his panties and then walked over to the hated chair next to which the doctor was waiting for him with a distinct reluctance. At her signal he sat down and lifted his legs into the brackets, looking up at the ceiling to escape the embarrassment of the situation. At least Ren had the decency to stand at his side so that he couldn't look between his legs, for anything else Hux would have strangled him later. The first time the doctors at the medical center had done a vaginal exam on him, Hux had been horrified. The very idea of allowing another person to access his most intimate parts was repugnant to him, but even though a bioscan gave a very accurate impression of his physical condition and that of the baby, there were a few things that it could not detect.

Although he had known what was coming, he flinched when he felt the cold metal of the speculum on his vagina. It was more than just a little uncomfortable when the instrument was inserted into him and Hux had to force himself to let the muscles relax, then he felt the doctor's hand inside him. "It's just as I thought," she said after a moment of groping and pressing. "The blood in your pants is from so-called contact bleeding. These are small injuries that can occur, for example, during examinations like this or after sexual intercourse. The mucous membranes in the vagina are much more strongly supplied with blood during pregnancy than they normally are. The good thing is that they are completely harmless. Nothing to worry about."

"Thank the stars," Hux said relieved, while the doctor removed the speculum and retreated so that he could get off the chair. As embarrassing as the realization was, it reassured him. In fact, they had had sex early in the morning while Ari was still asleep. It had been the first time since Hux found out he was pregnant. For the first three months they had been completely celibate. At first, Hux was not in the mood to do more in bed than sleep because of the constant nausea, and then his fear that he would miscarry if they overdid it was too great. It was only when they reached the fourth month of pregnancy that they felt safe to become intimate with each other without having to worry. But although Ren had been gentle, they would probably have to be a little more careful in the future.

"I told you so," the dark-haired man replied, handing Hux his clothes. "The baby is fine."

"Yes, it is," Hux replied as he slipped first into his underwear and then into his pants. "Now we just have to hope we've been just as lucky with Ari."

XXXXXX

Kylo Ren

The next morning Arihnda was also examined, but the doctors gave the all-clear in this case as well. Neither her scan nor the blood sample showed any abnormalities. Apparently, her trip had not caused any infection, which was a great relief for both Ren and Hux. Nevertheless, this crisis made them more aware of the problem of their isolation than before, so they were feverishly searching for a solution. The risk of leaving her alone in their quarters in the future was simply not acceptable.

"I've got something," Ren explained when he appeared unannounced in the General's office a few days later with a box in his hands. With a smug expression on his face, he placed the box on the chair in front of Hux's desk before opening it and placing the contents on the tabletop in front of him. Hux curiously looked at the gift. It was a uniform like the stormtroopers', including the armour and helmet, except that it was black and much smaller, as if it was made for a child. "Is that for Arihnda?" Hux asked incredulously, lifting the clothes. 

Ren nodded. "The uniform is made of the same tough material as our troops', and the helmet has a filter for all known pollutants and viruses. All of its features have been personally inspected and tested by me. Together with the suit, it would be virtually impervious to all outside influences."

Doubtfully, Hux touched the uniform with his fingers. The design of the suits was still from his father, but Hux had perfected it over the years; making it breathable and durable, but thanks to Ren's improvements to the model, it now felt softer and more adaptable. As much as he didn't want to see his daughter as the miniature of a Stormtrooper, it would be the solution to her problem. "It could work," he admitted after looking at the armor from all sides. "Provided Ari puts it on willingly."

"She will," Ren replied without a doubt. "All that matters is the right arguments."

In fact, Arihnda was thrilled with the uniform, making her an almost perfect copy of her father as she strode through the Stardestroyer's corridors in her armour, cape and helmet. Only the lightsaber was missing, but Ren had thought of that himself by strapping a rod-shaped light-emitting diode to her belt as a disarmed, child-friendly version. In the beginning it took Hux some getting used to seeing his daughter like that, but he couldn't deny that the uniform suited her and he couldn't help but admit that Ren had done a good job. From now on, one of them could always take Ari with them, so she didn't have to stay alone in the quarters anymore and there was no danger of her getting lost again.

XXXXXX

General Hux

"Sooner or later we'll have to tell the High Command." General Hux stood in front of the wet-room mirror with a wrinkled forehead and looked at his rounded stomach with ambivalent feelings, while Kylo Ren leaned against the frame in the open door. Now almost six months pregnant, his condition could only be concealed under the wide uniform coat. Although the rest of his body continued to show little change, the centre of his body was more prominent than ever. On the one hand, Hux knew that it was a good sign that their child was developing and growing, but the effects on his own body were increasingly affecting his self-perception. He could only close his trousers with the help of an elastic band, and the shirt stretched well over the bulge. 

"I will address the officers at the next session," Ren replied, and as much as Hux disliked his proportions, the Supreme Leader clearly approved what he saw and most of all what he felt. For several weeks now, the baby's movements were not only felt by Hux himself. Although they were still timid, Ren was able to perceive them clearly. The bigger the baby grew in Hux's belly, the easier it was for him to establish a connection with it. This, together with the touches through the abdominal wall, led to a lively exchange between father and child, so that Hux often wondered if he disturbed them when Ren seemed to be communicating with the baby with his eyes closed and his hands on the skin. Therefore, it did not surprise him in the least that the dark-haired knight knew before the doctors which sex the baby would be. 

"We are having a son," he had let Hux know before he could stop him from sharing his knowledge. Not that it was really important. The gender would not matter whether the child was compatible with Arihnda's tissue characteristics or not. Still, Hux could not prevent this message from touching something inside him. Until now, the baby had always been something abstract, unreal. Similar to Ari, he had expected that it would only become real to him once it was born. But knowing that it was a boy suddenly made it much more real than before. Again and again he had to think about the short moments in the medicenter when he had held his newborn daughter in his arms and he imagined how it would be when their son was born. Even if it was not important, Hux involuntarily wondered whether the boy would have inherited anything from him. Of course he knew that dark genes were dominant, but in Arihnda's case, his blue eyes had nevertheless prevailed over Ren's dark ones. Even if she was a copy of her father, this would always identify her as Hux's daughter. Although it was not likely, a part of him still hoped for a son with red hair. But he would not admit this out loud. 

"Don't worry," Ren continued. "I will make it clear what happens to those who think they can use your condition against you. However, I do not believe any of the officers would be stupid enough to try after what happened to Mitaka."

"I hope you're right," Hux replied grimly as he put the blaster into the holster at his side. Then he slipped into the coat and hid his belly from Ren's view by closing the buttons. "Still, I'd rather be prepared."

XXXXXX

General Hux

"Captain, a word." The conference room was not even half-full, but there was still time before the deadline set by Kylo Ren. 

Phasma tensed. "Of course, General," she returned before following Hux to a corner where they were out of earshot of the other crew members. Hux had decided to wait for the officer before they officially inaugurated the High Command. He needed her at his side, wanted to assure himself of her support if, for whatever reason, an emergency situation arose.

"I want you to know that I appreciate you," the General began his prepared speech to the woman in the shining armor. "Both for your work and peronally. You have repeatedly proven yourself a great asset to the First Order."

Praise was a rare commodity aboard the Finalizer, so Phasma could not prevent her cheeks from turning pink at Hux's words. "Thank you, sir. That means a great deal to me."

"I already rely on you more than any other officer and I need to know if I can count on you in the future," Hux explained his request.

"Of course, General," the officer immediately confirmed. "I will do everything to fulfill my duties towards you and the First Order at all times."

The corners of Hux's mouth lifted slightly when he heard the eagerness in her voice. "All right, I'll come back to that if circumstances warrant."

Confused about the course of the conversation, Phasma frowned. "Sir, may I ask..."

Once again the general made sure that nobody overheard them before he revealed himself to her. "I am pregnant, Captain, and I fear there are groups within our ranks who might take advantage of this condition."

For a brief moment, Hux saw something flashing in the officer's eyes. Surprise, confusion, jealousy and empathy followed each other so quickly that he felt dizzy. Although she had probably guessed that Ari was not only Ren's biological daughter, they had never talked about the fact that he had given birth to Arihnda, but by confessing his condition he had at the same time confirmed that, too. Although Hux knew that Phasma showed honest affection for his daughter, he also knew how bitter his pregnancy must be for her. Hux knew her file, knew what she had sacrificed to climb the career ladder. Women still had a hard time in the ranks of the First Order, and for many, having a child meant the end of their careers. Family ties were not tolerated aboard the Stardestroyers, which was why most women, if they chose this path, retired from military service. For this reason, Hux had not been the only one who had seen sterilization as a last chance. Phasma would never be able to share the experience of feeling new life growing inside her. Still, her loyalty to him was strong enough that the General knew instinctively that she would not stab him in the back.

And in fact, she had already caught herself again a moment later. "My congratulations to you and the Supreme Leader," Phasma said with a slight bow. "Rest assured, you can count on me at any time."

Hux gratefully bowed his head. "Thank you, Captain. I expected nothing less from you."

"General Hux." The voice behind him gave him goose bumps all over his body, yet Hux was careful not to let anything show when he turned his attention away from Phasma and to the man. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the officer moving away to allow him to have a private conversation, although the cowardly part of himself would have wished to have her at his side.

"Allegiant General Pryde, welcome to my ship." The greeting was at the same time the marking out of his territory to make it clear to the senior officer in whose territory he was. Since he had mastered the crisis on Quiloo, Pryde was even firmer in the saddle than before, even though Hux thought that this was due more to Kylo Ren's leadership than to the man's abilities. And as much as Hux hated having to tolerate him on board, there was nothing he could do about it at the moment. The Allegiant General was a member of the High Command, whether Hux liked it or not, and since the Steadfast was temporarily flying with the Finalizer together, he had to accept his presence.

"Thank you, Commander," Pryde replied by emphasizing his title as if it were something dirty, while at the same time his gaze wandered over Hux's body, which made the General suppress his urge to make sure that the uniform coat continued to hide his secret. Though the redhead tried hard to keep his features neutral, he could not help but glare at the other man. "I must say that life in the Supreme Leader's bed seems to agree with you. Too bad we'll never know what your father would have said about this development.“

Although the verbal punch in the guts did not come as a surprise, Hux had to hold on hard not to attack the older man for his impudence, but he would only be playing into Pryde's hands with that. "Well, I can't say I regret that we'll never find out," he replied coldly, relieved to learn that Ren was entering the room with Arihnda in tow at that moment. "But you will excuse me, I think it is time to take our places."

Over the past few weeks, the sight of the child in combat gear and helmet, who was in either Ren's or Hux's company, had become familiar, so the officers looked at her with only modest interest as Ari walked across the room to sit down at a separate table in her designated place, where she could watch a holovideo until the meeting was over. As she passed, Hux exchanged a few words with his daughter, whose voice was consumed by the vocoder but still sounded childish before he sat down at the conference table on the right side of Ren's chair. 

Apart from himself, Phasma, Pryde and Kylo Ren, there were eight other officers present, leaning forward in their chairs attentively as the Supreme Leader began to speak. "Thanks to your complete dedication to the goals of the First Order, there are almost exclusively positive points that I would like to discuss with you today. The first thing that reached me today was a status report from the Rothana Heavy Machinery Works. The construction of the Condemnation is proceeding exactly according to schedule, which is why - barring unforeseen delays - we can assume that the new Stardestroyer will be ready for delivery next year."

The officers hummed contentedly to express their enthusiasm for this news. Since the destruction of the Supremacy, the fleet was missing a battle cruiser, so Kylo Ren had ordered a replacement, which after five years of construction would soon be ready for action. Although the new ship, just like the Finalizer, was a model of the Resurgent Class and not like the Supremacy of the Mega Class, both construction time and cost factors had made them choose this cheaper version.

"I was also told by Commander Trach that the R'ptach system is finally completely under our control," Ren continued. "After the last base of the resistance on the moon Reylo was successfully destroyed by our troops, Emperor Victous has agreed to a complete surrender to the First Order.“

That was indeed good news. The battles in the R'ptach system, which had been going on for years, had not only been long but also expensive, but given that several planets in the system had rich deposits of Coaxium, it had made it a desirable target that justified the efforts. Once the situation was secured, mining operations could begin, which would hopefully provide the fleet with the valuable fuel for years to come. 

"Which brings me to the only negative point on the agenda," Kylo Ren continued. "An uprising at the existing Coaxium ore mine on Vandor-1. According to communications from troops stationed there, the workers have managed to take control of the mine for unknown reasons, taking most of the guards hostage or killing them."

Even if the new deposits were to be as abundant as they appeared to be, the First Order could not afford to do without one of the mines in operation. The demand for coaxium was enormous and had to be secured permanently. Moreover, a revolt under their command was unacceptable and had to be nipped in the bud before other systems followed Vandor's example.

"Supreme Leader, may I offer my assistance?" Pryde intervened. "Vandor can be reached by transporters in less than three days. My Stormtroopers are battle-tested, and after my intervention on Quiloo, it would give me great satisfaction to be able to handle this trouble spot for the First Order to your satisfaction."

Hux gnashed his teeth. As if the troops of the Finalizer were inferior to those of the Steadfast in their experience in battle, but of course Pryde couldn't help but flirt with his successes in front of Ren. He would have preferred any other officer than the Allegiant General, but as long as Pryde was busy with the Vandor Uprising, hopefully he would not have to put up with his presence on the Finalizer.

"Do it, Allegiant General," Ren replied with a nod. "Do whatever is necessary to remedy this nuisance. Now, I have another personal message I would like to share with you. General Hux will have my child and I expect you to assist him in carrying out his duties. Disrespect, as well as any hostility towards his person will not be tolerated and will be punished with all severity. Have I made myself clear?" 

All eyes were fixed on him so that Hux noticed the blood rushing into his cheeks, yet he held his head up proudly as he looked from one to the other with an arrogant expression. Though Ren had offered him to stay in their quarters when his condition was revealed, the General had refused immediately. To avoid them could have been construed as cowardice. An impression he didnt want to make. Besides, he was as much a part of the High Command as Pryde, and he would never voluntarily let the other man take the stage or consider showing any weakness in front of him.

"Naturally," hurriedly confirmed Colonel Kaplan. "Congratulations, Supreme Leader. General Hux."

"Congratulations from me too," Captain Opan said. Little by little, all the officers present felt compelled to offer their congratulations in order to dispel suspicions of disrespect, but when it was Allegiant General Pryde's turn, Hux saw the falseness in his eyes, while assuring them of his support. The old officer was dangerous, he was sure of it, and Hux would be careful not to ever turn his back on him.

XXXXXX

Kylo Ren

"Why all of a sudden? I thought Vandor was Pryde's problem now." Accusingly, General Hux watched as Ren packed his bag. In less than an hour, he would board with a battalion of assault troops in a transport that would take them from the Steadfast to Vandor along with another shuttle. 

"In principle, it is, but he convinced me that my presence in this hot spot would send a signal to all other planets under our control," Ren explained as he packed his battle armour. For the several-day journey in the transporter, he would keep the more comfortable robes on and change just before landing on Vandor. "For most, the Supreme Leader is just a phantom, just like Snoke has always been, but if I show myself, actively suppress the insurgency, word will spread that Kylo Ren not only rules from the safety on a spaceship, but has his eyes and ears on the planets as well."

That sounded reasonable so far, but the thought of Ren going into battle and leaving him alone on board the Finalizer in his current situation didn't appeal to Hux at all. "I still don't like the idea of you joining the troops. What if something happens to the baby while you're away?"

"You worry too much," Ren accused him. "At last week's examination, Dr Patterson was more than satisfied and the bioscan was clean. Besides, I figure I'll be gone ten days tops, including flying time, and you've got Captain Phasma to keep you safe. I know it's a lot to ask in your condition, but I'm counting on your support in this matter. I'm not just doing this for the First Order. I'm doing this for our children, to leave them a safe empire."

What could Hux answer to this? Every argument would be interpreted to him as pure egoism, which was why he finally replied with a sigh: "Well, then go, even if I don't have a good feeling about it."

XXXXXX

General Hux

With a suppressed sigh, General Hux stretched his tense muscles as he slid back and forth on the desk chair. Although he knew that he would become much rounder, the extra weight was already noticeable in his back. After a long shift, his lumbar spine hurt as if someone had kicked him in the back and he longed for a warm shower before he could finally stretch out in bed, but now that Arihnda was asleep, his sense of duty prevented him from relaxing before reading the most important status messages. After all, an end was in sight, so he forced himself to pull himself together one last time before he finished for today.

When the communicator function of his datapad beeped, Hux would have loved to scream in frustration, but since his daughter was asleep at the other end of the room, he only allowed himself a growl before accepting the connection. "Commander." Chief Petty Officer Unamo's voice had an undertone that the General couldn't place, but he didn't care what emotions were boiling up in the young man. 

"I told you I didn't want to be disturbed!" Hux yelled at his subordinate.

"I know and I'm sorry," excused the officer sheepishly, "but I must nevertheless inform you that the troops were ambushed. Five soldiers are dead and the Supreme Leader is seriously injured. A thermal bomb had been detonated when..."

Hux didn't hear the rest, because he ended the connection at that moment and was on his way to the bridge before he even realized it.

Tbc...


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Let it out, let it out  
Go on  
Time to lay down your arms  
Let it our, let it out  
Go on  
Time to lay down your arms

(30 Seconds to Mars, Great wide open)

General Hux

In the greenish light of the Bacta Tank, Kylo Ren's skin looked strangely pale, making the mixture of red and black of his wounds all the more striking. There were cuts, bruises and scratches all over his body, where the explosion debris had hit him, and in his abdomen was a deep hole where Hux could have easily stuck his fist. At least no vital organs were injured, but it was a miracle that he was still alive. Anyone else would probably have been killed by the trauma of the explosion. Just a meter or two closer to the bomb and it would have torn him to shreds, just like the Stormtroopers who had went before him. Still it was not clear whether he would survive. If Hux hadn't heard the beeping of the machines monitoring his vital signs, the General would have been sure Ren must already be dead. He had never seen him so still. His eyes were closed, his face relaxed. Not a muscle was stirring as he floated in the liquid. The dark-haired knight was naked, only a pair of standard gray underpants covering his modesty. Tubes led into his body at various points and supplied him with food and medicine and a breathing mask covered his mouth and nose. 

Although he did not yet know all the circumstances of the explosion, Hux refused to believe that Ren had been a random victim. In his opinion, it had been an attempt on his life, and given who was insisting that Ren accompanied the mission, Hux was certain that Allegiant General Pryde was responsible. This was also supported by the fact that the dead Stormtroopers came exclusively from the Finalizer. The Steadfast soldiers had all escaped. From the moment Pryde learned in the conference room that Hux was pregnant with Ren's child, he had felt that Pryde was planning something. He was undoubtedly capable of committing an assassination attempt on Ren. He had just been waiting for the right moment. The riot in the mine allowed him to cover his tracks without any problems and make it look as if the rebelling workers had set off the bomb. As long as Hux could think, the old officer had been longing for power and it was a thorn in his side to see Ren as a young upstart sitting in the Supreme Leader's chair. With Kylo Ren out of the way, he would only have to eliminate Hux to achieve his goal and ascend to the top of the First Order himself.

Ren's loss would leave a hole in the First Order that would lead to a bitter struggle for power. With Captain Phasma probably the only ally at his side, Hux would not be able to maintain his position for long. He was well aware that he was still commander only because he was under Ren's protection. The dark-haired knight had made it very clear what would happen to anyone who challenged Hux's position. Without Ren, he would be an easy victim and it was doubtful that if Pryde gained control, he would leave it at demoting him. Hux posed a danger to him, as did his children. Ari was Ren's daughter in more than just her appearance and the General could not say for sure who of the crew already knew of her abilities. Although they always practiced in Ren's training room or in their quarters, it was quite possible that when she had accompanied one of her fathers to the bridge or to a meeting in the office, someone had seen her use the Force. And from what Hux knew, it was more than certain that he was carrying another force sensitive child in his belly, another heir to Kylo Ren. A descendant who, when he grew up, would potentially lay claim to the leadership. A risk that Pryde could not take. A factor that had to be eliminated. Without Ren's protection, both the children and he himself were defenseless. He needed Ren in more ways than one, as bitter as it was to admit to himself.

In a helpless gesture, the General clenched his hands in fists before moving closer to the tank. "Don't you dare die," Hux pressed out between his teeth, knowing that no one but the droid present would hear him. "Do you hear me? You got me into this mess, now stay with me till the end."

There was no sign to indicate whether Ren had heard him, yet Hux lingered a moment longer in front of the glass before checking the fit of the weapon under his uniform coat and finally turned away. He could not afford to get sentimental now. There was no time for that, instead he had to make arrangements. No one who did not know of Ren's condition was allowed to be privy to the seriousness of the situation. The danger was too great that Pryde would finish what the bomb had failed to do. The mighty Supreme Leader of the First Order was helpless, defenseless and it would be easy to kill him now. All one had to do was increase the dosage of painkillers to the point where Ren's heart stopped. No one would know it wasn't a natural death. There'd be no questions. Sure, it would be tragic, but Kylo Ren had simply not survived the severe injuries.

Except for the medidroid who remained on the wall in waiting mode, there was no video surveillance or other security on the hospital ward. This had to be changed. Hux would immediately give the order to post two Stormtroopers outside the infirmary room and outside their quarters as well. He also needed to speak to Captain Phasma as soon as possible. He needed her protection now more than ever. If Pryde had really been the mastermind of the attack, it was to be feared that both Hux's life and that of his daughter were in acute danger. The problem was, he hadn't been able to prove anything yet. Hux could only hope that the other man made a mistake that allowed him to act before he eliminated him. 

But before that, he would make sure that all the Stormtroopers involved in the mission, as well as all the miners, were liquidated. He could neither afford to have any more potential traitors in his own ranks, nor to spare any possible insurgents. Of course, it was to be assumed that not all of them were guilty, but he had to make an example here, to use it as a warning to all other colonies from which the First Order was getting supplies. Getting new workers would not be a problem. They could simply declare parts of the population from another colony as slaves and have them shipped here. These were hard decisions to make, but someone had to do it, and as long as no one stopped him, Hux would now not only command a Stardestroyer, but lead the First Order as well - at least until Ren had recovered. 

XXXXXX

General Hux

From the first day he had known her, Hux had appreciated Captain Phasma's calm, serene nature. She seemed worried but not panicked when she stood in front of him in full armor in his office and he initiated her into the events. She did not ask unnecessary questions, nor did she try to refute his accusations while he was sharing his thoughts with her. In fact, she merely inquired about his condition when he had finally ended.

"I am fine," Hux answered grimly. "However, I would feel much better if we eliminated the traitor."

"Don't worry, sir," Phasma replied in earnest. "I won't let anything happen to Arihnda or you, nor will I let anyone kill the Supreme Leader. I give you my word of honour."

It spoke for Phasma's loyalty that she was determined to protect them all, but although she was a capable soldier, she couldn't be everywhere at once and she couldn't guard his quarters around the clock. After all, she was just a human being who had to eat and sleep. "Are there men among the Stormtroopers whom you trust?" he asked. "Men who would not hesitate to shoot a gun on even a high ranking officer like Pryde?"

"Even if I wouldn't speak of trust in this context, I know a few units that I consider capable of being entrusted with this task," Phasma replied after a moment of reflection. "They are loyal but unscrupulous and will carry out my instructions without question."

That was all he could ask for. "Fine, order two units per shift outside the infirmary," Hux ordered. "I don't want anyone but me or the doctors to have access to the Supreme Leader's room. The same goes for me and my daughter, whether in my quarters or my office, I want two Stormtroopers by my side at all times."

"At your service, General. I will make the necessary arrangements immediately." With a respectful salute Phasma greeted her superior, then she left. Silently, Hux watched her before he headed for his quarters. His watchful gaze scanned every crew member he encountered along the way. Although he had made sure that Pryde was still on the Steadfast before talking to the officer, the Allegiant General might well have allies on the Finalizer, so he let one hand slip discreetly through the slit on the side of the coat to his blaster. If they should just try to kill him, Hux would sell his life as dearly as possible.

XXXXXX

General Hux

It wasn't easy to hide from Ari how tense he was. Her abilities in the Force made her feel that something was wrong, even if she was not skilled enough to find out the reason. Shortly after his arrival in their quarters, two Stormtroopers had taken up their positions in front of the door, which gave Hux some security, but he couldn't calm down completely. To make matters worse, his concern also made his daughter uneasy, and it cost him more nerves than usual to play with her, to accompany her in the bathroom routine and to read to her, always looking nervously at the door. It seemed like an eternity until the girl had finally fallen asleep, but his own heart continued to beat loudly in his chest, leaving Hux no peace. With the blaster under his pillow, he lay motionless in bed, listening to the sounds of the ship, constantly expecting to hear a commotion and see potential murderers rushing into their quarters. 

The hours passed without anything happening, but he still couldn't relax. The child in his belly was at least as excited as he was himself and boxed and kicked him almost incessantly, so sleep was out of the question. Absent-mindedly, Hux massaged calming circles with his hand over the swelling, as Ren sometimes did when their son kept Hux from sleeping, but it wasn't the same. Although he hadn't even been born yet, the little one felt his father's absence and it affected him almost as much as it affected Hux. Only in the first hours of the new daily cycle did the child become calmer, but the General still couldn't sleep. When the alarm told him that it was time to get up, Hux felt almost relieved to be able to leave the bed. Even though his head hurt and the pressure behind his eyes would make it hard to work, it was to be hoped that no one would dare to attack him during the shift on the bridge. 

Three days went by without anything happening, there wasn't even a single word from Pryde when Hux gave the order to clean the mine, but the General still didn't dare to think he was safe. Despite discreet investigations, he had not been able to find proof of Pryde's involvement in the attack, so he had no choice but to continue to keep quiet. To justify Ren's absence on the ship, he had spread the rumor that the Supreme Leader had left for another mission which was subject to absolute secrecy. He could only hope that the majority of the crew members believed the feint. He had already had the units involved in the mission eliminated, but there was still a danger that they might have talked about what had happened before. But Hux could do no more than that without drawing unnecessary attention to himself.

Phasma hardly left his side most of the time, and the Stormtroopers stood guard outside the infirmary day and night. The news that reached Hux about Ren's condition remained critical. Due to the days he had been badly injured when he was flown in the shuttle back to Finalizer before he could be treated in the Bacta tank, the wounds had become infected. Despite the medication, the fever was boiling in him and pus was collecting in the abdominal wound, which had to be sucked out again and again. His pulse was too fast and his breathing too shallow, so that Hux, while standing in front of the glass cylinder, feared more than once that this would be the last time he saw him alive. But he relied on Ren being tough and fighting, and that was why Hux never gave up hope - even though he thought he would collapse from lack of sleep. 

The fourth day after the shuttle's return began like the days before. Once again, Hux had been lying awake almost all night and he felt worse than ever. Probably even the ice-cold showers he took every morning would not help much longer to keep him operational, but it was still the remedy of choice after he had woken Arihnda and stumbled into the bathroom. The injection of stims could have a negative effect on the baby's development, so Hux pushed this last option ahead of himself for as long as possible. His whole body was stiff from the hours he had been lying motionless on the same side so as not to disturb Ari in her sleep. His daughter still kept coming back to the parents' bed when she woke up at night to cuddle up, so he had put the blaster under the bed as a precaution so she wouldn't get her hands on it by mistake. By the time he was showered and dressed, his daughter would be so lively that they could have breakfast before he had to get her ready to go on his shift together. 

The cold water of the shower hit him like a slap in the face when Hux held his head under the jet, but it helped to awaken his spirits, so he finally dared to take the showerhead off the hook and splashed his whole body with cold water before setting the regulator to warm and washing himself. After he finally got out of the shower and dried off, Hux looked at his reflection in the mirror. Bluish shadows lay under his bloodshot eyes and he looked even paler than he usually was, but that couldn't be helped for the moment. When the situation was under control, the traitors hunted down and Ren recovered, he could sleep as much as his body needed, but for now he had to stay awake and focused. Hux did his toilet routine, brushed his teeth, combed his hair and dressed himself until he left the bathroom fifteen minutes later. The same moment he opened the door, he heard what he had feared for days: blaster fires, muffled screams, the sound of falling bodies. 

In panic, Hux looked at his daughter, who sat sleepily on the edge of the bed with her thumb in her mouth, holding her Ewok tightly pressed against her body. Hux cried out "Ari!" as the door to the quarters was broken open at the same moment. The disinfection lock hissed as Pryde stepped into the room, but he didn't wait for the process to be finished, but instead, without paying attention to the fog, stepped through with his weapon raised. 

Hux had to make up his mind and he had to do it quickly. Either he hoisted himself over the bed as fast as he could in his condition in an attempt to reach his blaster with the risk that Pryde would shoot Arihnda in the meantime or he threw himself in front of his child. A choice that was not really one. Without a second's thought, Hux was by his daughters side in a fraction of a second and pushed himself between her and the grey-haired officer. There was still noise coming in from outside, suggesting that his guards were fighting the traitors, but Pryde was alone in the quarters. Of course, with what he was about to do, he couldn't use witnesses.

"Commander," the Allegiant General greeted him harshly. "I see you're dressed for your funeral in a proper manner."

"You won't get away with this," growled Hux, who tried hard to prevent the other man from looking at Ari, who clawed her little hands into the back of his pants in fear.

"Oh yes, I will," Pryde replied confident of victory. "As a matter of fact, I already am. Even if I must admit, Kylo Ren surviving the bomb was a minor setback, but that fact is being corrected as we speak."

By the stars ... hopefully the Stormtroopers in front of the infirmary had more success fighting Pryde's men than the guards outside his quarters. "Do you really think you can kill Ren and me without being held responsible?" Hux asked, trying to find a way out of the situation at the same time. Maybe the guards had managed to sound the alarm and help was already on its way, but Hux could not rely on that. No, if he wanted to save his daughter and himself, he had to make a plan of his own.

"Oh yes, I think so, because no one will be able to prove that I killed you," the Allegiant General returned triumphantly. "Your two lapdogs out there, I will throw them out the nearest airlock, just like the guards outside the infirmary. Who would miss four simple Stormtroopers? And as for you, well, you just couldn't stand the betrayal you committed against the Supreme Leader, which is why you sadly ended your life."

Stunned, Hux stared the other man in the face. "You want to frame me for the hit? That's just ridiculous!"

Pryde smiled coldly. "If the evidence of the thermal bomb's delivery to the Vandor rebels, along with the correspondence, is found in your communicator application on the datapad, there will be no more doubt of your treachery."

Hux noticed how the heat rose to his face in rage. Not only was he planning to take the First Order by force, he wanted to blame Ren's murder on himself. "You lousy piece of bantha shit! How dare you ...!" it broke out of him, but at a move from Pryde's blaster he fell silent again.

"Watch out, or do you want me to shoot you in front of your little daughter? That will certainly not be a pretty sight," the Allegiant General threatened him.

Ari's grip on his trousers tightened and Hux could hear a soft whimper. His poor child must be scared to death. Damn, he had to find a way to take out Pryde and bring her to safety without harm. "Keep my child out of this," Hux demanded reluctantly. "She has done nothing to deserve this fate."

"Sorry, but I can't do that. Perhaps you should have thought before you spread your legs that freaks like you should never have children. But I can promise her a humane death if you cooperate," the other man replied as he slowly moved closer and closer to him, with no opportunity for Hux to back away from him. Behind him were the bed and his daughter, in front of him the Allegiant General. If only he could reach his own blaster...

"Cooperate?" Hux asked with a sarcastic undertone. "By not screaming when you shoot me?"

"I would prefer not to use this weapon against you," Pryde replied with a hateful smile. "Blaster shots in the head are a little difficult to explain as suicide, so I brought this."

The flask that the grey-haired man pulled out was not very large, but the sight of it made Hux's hair stand on end involuntarily. "What is this? Is it poison?"

Pryde nodded. "Once swallowed, it kills painfully without the possibility of redemption and it is undetectable later."

Hux needed all his self-control to keep his face expressionless at these words. "You've really thought this one up cleverly."

The Allegiant General complacently returned: "I always knew that one day it would pay off to have been underestimated. Even as a young man, you were an arrogant upstart. Quite the father, although I must admit that at the time I didn't understand what Brendol meant when he called you a freak. I should have guessed that the old fool couldn't father a son, but to pass his daughter off as a boy? He should have been teaching you how to behave like a proper woman, but apparently Ren taught you how to warm a bed after all. It's a shame, but the bun in the oven will probably die with you."

If it had only been for his own life, Hux would not have hesitated to go to the other man's throat for that, but he had to think of Arihnda. Even if she miraculously stayed alive, the child in his belly was her only chance for healing. Therefore he could not take any risk by getting involved in a hopeless fight. "Go to hell, Pryde", the red-haired General exclaimed hatefully.

It was obvious that he enjoyed watching Hux suffer, when Pryde took another step towards him and returned full of satisfaction: "One day perhaps, but before then I will send you there."

His blaster was so close that it almost touched Hux's chest, yet he continued to stare unimpressed into his eyes. "Come on, drink this," Pryde ordered, holding the vial out to Hux. If he came just one step closer... One hand on the shoulder of his daughter, who had buried her face in his pants, the other protectively around his belly, Hux pressed his lips together in a clear gesture. 

"I said drink or I'll shoot the child," yelled Pryde before taking a step to the side so that he could focus on Arihnda's trembling body. The girl sobbed audibly as she tried to slip between her father's legs to be as invisible as possible. Trembling with rage and tension, Hux took the poison in his hand and hesitantly unscrewed the bottle.

"Open your mouth and drink or I'll get serious." Roughly, Pryde grabbed Hux by the hair, with the cold Duraplast of the blaster scraping across his temple and pressing the bottle against his lips to let the liquid run into his mouth. That was his chance. In a fraction of a second, Hux tore the dagger from his sleeve and rammed it into Pryde's neck from below with all his might. Blood splashed out of the wound like a fountain and sprinkled Hux's face and hair, while Pryde screamed out in pain. With a clatter, the blaster fell to the ground as the older man let go of the red-haired General and grabbed the handle of the dagger, trying to pull it out, but he did not make it. 

"You... you...", it came panting over his lips, while red bubbles gathered in the corners of his mouth. He rattled and spat blood, then kneeled before Hux. But the red-haired General didn't pay any attention to him anymore. Although most of the poison had gone wrong, he had gotten a little in his mouth, so he was now standing bent over and spitting out everything he could. His saliva tasted bitter and his tongue was burning, so he wished to drink water, but he couldn't take any risks. If what Pryde had said was true, even a small dose of the poison could be fatal, so he took the precaution of sticking his finger down his throat and vomiting up the pitiful rest left in his stomach from last nights dinner. Hux heard his daughter behind him crying and sobbing her heart out and tearing at his trousers, but as much as he wanted to comfort her, he first had to make sure there was no more poison in his body. 

Relief flooded over him when in the next moment Captain Phasma stormed through the destroyed remains of his door with half a dozen Stormtroopers. With the blaster raised ready for battle, she immediately scanned the quarters. Her gaze hit his, but Hux nodded, breathing heavily to show her he was okay, then she took aim at Pryde, who tilted to the side at that moment. But the Allegiant General was no longer a threat. Blood still gushed from the wound at his neck and with every tortured breath more red blisters gathered at his lips. Nevertheless, the officer kicked Pryde's blaster out of his reach before bending down and carefully releasing Arihnda from her father's trousers. Hux was in no condition to take care of his daughter, so she would take it upon herself to calm the girl down. 

Immediately the child wrapped her arms around Phasma's neck and pressed her face against the cold armour. "All right," muttered the officer as she lovingly stroked the black curls. "The bad man can no longer hurt you. You are safe." She made sure with her eyes that it was okay with Hux before she lifted Ari up and went with her to the wet room to take her away from the scenery. When the little one had calmed down a bit, she would put on her helmet and armour and take her to her own quarters until Pryde was taken away and her father was examined by the doctors in the infirmary. Until then she would do everything in her power to make Arihnda forget the shock.

XXXXXX

General Hux

It had been close, too close for Hux's taste, but both he himself and the unborn child had survived the attack unharmed. Arihnda had been given a medication cocktail by the doctors as a precaution to prevent possible infections, but apart from that, she was completely traumatized by the events. She stuck to his side like a shadow, even if Hux only wanted to go to the toilet, and she only fell asleep when he was lying next to her and holding her tight. But even then she woke up again and again and screamed and cried. It was all Pryde's fault. If he hadn't choked on his own blood anyway before a medidroid had reached the quarters, Hux would have preferred to kill the traitor with his bare hands for what Ari had endured because of him. As far as he knew, his soldiers had killed every single one of Pryde's men and since the Steadfast was now without leadership, Hux had put Captain Peavey in command of the Stardestroyer as he considered him to have enough integrity not to betray him and to seek out and eliminate any other possible traitors. 

Although he regularly received a detailed report from the sickbay, the General made himself a picture of Ren's condition every day before and after his shift. Arihnda kept asking for her daddy, but Hux could do nothing more than put her off. Even if Ren had survived the infection by now, it would still be a long time before he could return to their quarters. Hux talked to him, scolded him, let all the frustration and exhaustion come to the surface, which he was otherwise not allowed to show. Here in the loneliness of the infirmary, there was no one to fool. Although it became harder for him from day to day, he could not afford to show any sign of weakness in the present situation. He had to play the strong leader, the commander who had his crew and his ship under control and at the same time, the loving father who took time for his daughter after the exhausting shift to let Ari forget the trauma and somehow make up for Ren's absence and all this during a pregnancy which already sapped his strength. Thanks to the stars Arihnda's abilities in mind reading were not yet developed, otherwise it would have been impossible for him to keep her in the dark about her father's condition. But even so it became harder and harder to let her know that Ren was still on his mission. Even in difficult times he had never been away for more than ten days, but now this time came and passed without his condition improving enough to wake him up. 

"I'm so tired," Hux allowed himself to admit on one of those days while standing in front of the tank, looking at Ren's expressionless face. Thank God his condition was now stable. Thanks to the Bacta Gel, the superficial injuries had healed within a week of the incident, but closing the hole in his abdomen and allowing the muscles and tissue to grow back took time, "and I don't know how much longer I can keep this up.“ Of course the knight did not answer, Hux had not expected that, but he could see his eyes moving behind the closed lids. A good sign. His consciousness had now surfaced to the point where he was able to dream again, giving Hux hope that Ren would finally be able to leave the tank in the not too distant future. 

Though the General knew it was not good for him, he had seen no way out of it but to keep injecting himself with stims over and over again in the last few days, keeping him awake and focused longer to keep up appearances, but this could not be a permanent solution. Even now he was already suffering from severe back pain, constant heartburn and nightly muscle cramps. Just one more day, he told himself, just one more day. But the days turned into weeks and a whole month passed before he finally received the news that Ren had recovered enough to dare to wake him.

XXXXXX

Kylo Ren

It was confusing and painful when he was torn from his drug induced sleep. Panic welled up inside him when he opened his eyes and found himself in a glass tank. On the other side of the glass were nothing but machines, droids, an empty room. He didn't know how he got here or where this "here" even was, all he felt was the desire to strike and free himself. Even before he came to his senses, he tore the mask from his face and took his first real breath. The air in the tank smelled sweetish, like Bacta and disinfectant liquids and the movement of his chest hurt, which made him look down on himself. There was a wound in his stomach, but it didn't bleed, but was already covered with a layer of granular tissue, which looked soft and spongy from the moisture. Then his senses caught hold of the cables and tubes that seemed to run all over him and he tore them off his body in a reflex. 

Slowly the Bacta Gel flowed through the drain at the bottom of the tank, so that at that moment it only reached his navel. Metal arms grabbed him under the armpits and lifted him up, through the opening on the head side of the tank, into the open air, then he was placed on a strecher and a droid hung a blanket over him. Ren shivered with cold and exhaustion. Bacta was all over his body and his hair was wet. His nerves vibrated as he tried to reconstruct the events. What had happened to him? How had he got here? And how long had he been in that tank?

But before he could find an answer to these questions, the door to the infirmary suddenly opened and Ren was about to give in to the impulse to jump up and defend himself or flee, but he didn't have the strength to do either. With relief, he realized it was Hux who stepped inside the room. Thanks to the stars he was alone. No one should see him like this. Naked. Trembling. Vulnerable. It was bad enough that he had to show himself to the General like that, but to his relief Hux's face showed neither disgust nor satisfaction. Everything Ren could see in his features and also in his thoughts was a real, deeply felt relief. 

As Hux approached, Ren immediately noticed, despite the coat, how much more clearly the rounding of his belly could be seen, which only allowed the one conclusion that he had spent much more than a few days in the tank. But apart from that, he looked at least as tired and exhausted as Ren felt. The dark-haired knight had a thousand questions on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't trust his voice to resume its duties yet, so they just looked at each other for a moment before Ren rasped out abruptly, "How long?

"Five weeks," Hux returned seriously. 

Ren's eyes widened in surprise, then he frowned in an attempt to remember the last thing from the time before the tank, but his thoughts slipped away from him like slippery worms. The few images he saw made no sense. "What...happened?" he said with difficulty.

"You were almost torn apart by a thermal bomb," Hux replied, pointing to the wound that could be seen through the opening in Ren's blanket on his stomach.

Knowledge flickered across the dark-haired knight's face. "Pryde?"

"Was a traitor. I killed him."

Although the Force did not flow through him again in the way it normally did because of the long period of unconsciousness, Ren was sure to hear the pain vibrating through Hux at these words, so he immediately followed up: "Ari?“

"Don't worry, she's doing fine, considering the circumstances," the General reassured him.

Thank the stars. "And the baby?"

"Makes my life difficult," replied Hux, whose back was sending out an ache that radiated down to his stomach. "I tell you one thing, the next time you get yourself blown up, wait until the kids are grown up."

Tbc ...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Into the great wide open  
Across a land of love and dreams  
I will save your heart from breaking  
Won't you stop, please  
Set me free

(30 Seconds to Mars, Great wide open)

Kylo Ren

After he had awakened, Kylo Ren recovered from his injuries surprisingly quickly. Although the doctors would have preferred to keep him in the infirmary for a few more days for observation, the dark-haired knight returned to their quarters immediately after the obligatory bioscan. He didn't want to be separated from his daughter for a second longer than absolutely necessary, and Arihnda had missed her father so much that she almost knocked him over with joy when he entered their quarters on his own legs thanks to the injection of a stim. All evening long she spoke like a waterfall, telling him all the things that had happened in his absence. The incident with Pryde in particular still preoccupied her, even though the attack had been several weeks ago, and when Ren realized the danger his family had been in, his anger was so great that he had to retreat to the bathroom for a moment to get his feelings under control. Because of him Ari, Hux and the unborn baby almost lost their lives. Because he hadn't seen the danger that Pryde posed. Because he had taken an unnecessary risk that would had almost kill them all. A circumstance for which he would probably never forgive himself. But he would make it up to them, he swore to himself. He would never again let anyone put his family in danger. 

Even when it was time for their daughter to go to sleep, Ari didn't want to separate from her father, so he turned a blind eye for once and allowed her to stay up until Hux and himself went to rest, so that she lay cuddled between their two bodies in bed. So protected from all sides, Ari had fallen asleep within minutes but even though their fathers were exhausted too, none of them could find their way to sleep right away. 

"I'm sorry", Ren said quietly, turning to his side and looking at the General in the emergency light over Arihnda's dark shock of hair.

"For what?" Hux asked irritated. The baby's weight had prevented him from sleeping on his back for weeks, so he had been lying on his left side from the start and didn't have to turn to look back at Ren.

"That you had to go through all that," Ren explained seriously. "If I hadn't listened to Pryde and instead decided not to lead the intervention team, none of this would have happened. I put you and our children in unnecessary danger."

Strangely enough, Hux felt no satisfaction at these words. Before, it would have been unthinkable that Ren would apologize to him for a wrong decision, but now that he did, Hux only felt relief that Ren's mistake had not had any lasting consequences. "Thank the stars everything went well once again," he replied as he looked back. 

There was all the admiration in Ren's eyes to read that he would not express. He had never thought Hux weak, but what he had accomplished in the past months was more than Ren ever thought he could do. Without him, none of them would be alive today. Despite his condition, he had been strong, had not only saved himself, but had kept their daughter and Ren safe and the First Order together when Ren couldn't. But it had cost him a lot. Even without the Force, Ren could feel how exhausted and drained Hux was now. 

"You should be sleeping," he said.

"I can't," Hux admitted. "There is too much on my mind."

"Then let me help you let go," Ren offered before extending his hand and placing it across Ari's sleeping body on Hux's temple. The General neither flinched nor protested when he felt the dark-haired knight's fingers. Instead, he thankfully closed his eyes and surrendered to nothingness as Ren sent him to sleep by the Force.

XXXXXX

General Hux

It was not that Hux needed Ren to come to the realization that he had to cut back. His body was sending him enough signals to come to the same conclusion. Constant heartburn had become his unwelcome companion, the urge to urinate at all times drove him mad and his kidney values had been borderline for a long time, just like in the first pregnancy, yet he still tried to play down his discomfort. But he could not hide from Ren how pathetic he felt. He knew it when he lay next to him in bed in the evening and massaged the General's hard belly and aching back with his big hands. Due to the long standing on the bridge, the baby's pressure on the symphysis had become so great that he would risk permanent damage if he remained on active duty for much longer. But there was still so much to do, so many decisions to be made before Hux was ready to be temporarily removed from service. 

He would have been happy to continue working until the child was born, but it became increasingly clear that this was out of the question, so he had agreed to spend the last four weeks before they would cut the child out of him lying down in the quarters. Even then, it would still be another four weeks before the calculated date of birth, but the doctors had assured them that at that time the child's heart and lungs would be far enough developed so that it could be brought into the world without danger. Hux health would not be able to cope with waiting until the natural time of birth, so he had begun to come to terms with the fact.

But there were still two weeks left until his early maternity leave. Too little time to be prepared for any emergency, Hux found. He still hadn't decided who would be the commander of the Finalizer in his absence. He did not trust any of his officers enough with this task. Too great was the fear of being betrayed again and losing his post permanently, so Hux considered keeping the command out of his quarters, but when he expressed this thought to Ren, the latter immediately refused. 

"Absolutely not. I can't allow that," Ren made his position clear when he faced Hux in his office. "Stress is poisonous to you and the baby. You are on the verge of collapse already and once it's born, you will need all your strength to heal." 

But Hux, who was sitting half on the desk to take the strain off his back, did not give in so easily. "May I remind you that in the records of the Republic is written, your mother was in a conference the moment her contractions began."

"If my father hadn't been on one of his smuggling trips at the time instead of being by her side, it certainly wouldn't have happened, and if I approved of my mother's decisions, we wouldn't be standing here today having this discussion." The way Ren approached him made it clear to Hux that he wouldn't tolerate any more backtalk. Even though Ren had promised to respect his decisions, he would do everything in his power to keep him from putting the command of his ship above his health. "But if it will help relieve your burden, I will assume your duties for the duration of your absence," Ren added, in the interest of peace.

At first, Hux couldn't believe his ears. "You want to replace me as commander?"

Ren nodded. "I am perfectly capable of making decisions regarding the ship and the crew, and if I need your opinion, I know where to find you."

It may not have been the ideal solution, but in the end it was the one Hux could live with best, so he finally accepted the offer. There were plenty of other problems that needed solving, but first of all, there was another big event that required his full attention. A day to celebrate, for which he had even managed to arrange his commitments so that he could at least take a day off.

It was a strange feeling not to be disturbed by his alarm when he woke up in the morning, but although he felt the desire to take his datapad and read the latest reports, he didn't do it, but instead enjoyed the luxury of not having to get up, but to enjoy the warmth of the bed and Ren's body a little longer. The dark-haired knight had taken his usual sleeping position on Hux's back, as he often did, and had one arm wrapped around his middle so that the General could hear the gentle breaths at his ear. Ari seemed to be still asleep, too, so that Hux had time to indulge in the nostalgic thoughts that came up in him that day as every year.

Five years ago today, he had born his daughter and as much as he enjoyed her today, he would probably never forget the pain and fear he had felt then, believing that he would never see her again. Even today, the echo of this worry vibrated in him as he thought that this birthday could be her last if the baby did not bring her healing. Even if she had not been ill since the diagnosis, she could still suffer a fatal infection at any time. Although Ren would scold him for having such dark thoughts instead of trusting in the Force, Hux just couldn't help himself. There were just too many unknowns in the equation to just wait it out. But precisely because the future was uncertain, they would make Ari's birthday all the more wonderful. Hux himself had never experienced a birthday party as a child, but in a weak moment, Ren had told him about the festivities Leia Organa had given him: With mountains of presents, dozens of guests, giant cakes and a huge firework. They wouldn't be so decadent and since there were no other children aboard the ship, a celebration was more for the adults anyway, but they would let Arihnda decide for herself how she wanted to arrange her special day. In the emergency lighting Hux watched his sleeping child and as so often a sweet pain arose at the sight of her. She was now so big and so heavy that he could hardly lift her. But in his condition he was not allowed to do so anyway. And it became more and more difficult to put her on his lap. His stomach was always in the way. 

Still Ari had never asked why her Papa had become so big. Only when they recently told her the news themselves that she would get a sibling in not too long time, it seemed to really strike her. To their surprise, Arihnda had reacted rather cautiously to it, even when she was allowed to feel how the baby was moving in his belly, she had not really been enthusiastic. The mere fact that once the baby was there, they would move to new quarters where she would have her own room because her brother would have to sleep with their fathers, made her more suspicious than expectant. In general, she only knew babies from the Holovideos on her datapad and until now the prospect of a little screaming something was more suspicious to her than she was happy about it. Well, one could only hope that this would change once the child was born. 

XXXXXX

According to her wish Ari experienced a day like out of some strange fairytail. After she finally woke up, she had insisted on a pillow fight before she was allowed to have breakfast in bed, where she got all the sweet stuff that Hux usually only allowed her in moderation. As a special highlight, after she was washed and dressed, she was allowed to accompany Ren on a flight in his Silencer, something she had wished for almost as long as visiting a planet once. But since they could not fulfill her this longing, since Ren was not available, Hux was not fit to travel and Ari in her suit was too conspicuous a destination, she got her first TIE-Fighter flight after all, while Hux waited in their quarters. With red cheeks and excitedly babbling to herself, she came back for lunch and couldn't stop telling her Papa about the wonders she had seen. 

Since Hux was only suitable for quiet activities due to his pregnancy, he took Ari to the shooting range as a special surprise. Teaching a five-year-old girl how to use a blaster may have been morally questionable, but after the events of the last few months, morality was the last thing Hux thought about when he showed her how to hold the gun, release the safety lock, aim the target and finally pull the trigger. The Stormtrooper were slightly older when they were taken away from their families and started their training and even if Ari would never participate in their education it couldn't hurt if she was able to defend her life. 

Arihnda liked it anyway.

Although the short unit at the shooting range hadn't been physically very exhausting, the way over the seemingly endless corridors of the Stardestroyers exhausted the General more than he wanted to admit to himself, so he was glad that when they arrived back at the quarters, Ren was ready to take over Ari to let off some steam with her and Captain Phasma in his private training room. Panting, Hux sat down on the edge of the bed before leaning back and relieving his aching back. Today it was especially bad again. The pain shot like lightning into the nerve paths of his lumbar spine and radiated from there into his stomach, so that Hux absent-mindedly massaged small circles over the taut skin until his eyelids became heavy and he fell asleep.

XXXXXX

Hux could already hear the sound of his crying daughter before he opened his eyes. Ren was still standing with her on his arm in the disinfection sluise, but as soon as the fog cleared, he entered the room and set her down on the free side of the bed. With a strained grunt, Hux rolled over to the side to sit down while Ren worked on the helmet's opening mechanism and pulled it off Ari's sweaty curls. Her little face was streaming with tears and glistening drops still ran down her cheeks.

"Papa!" she cried, holding her left arm.

In Hux's head the alarm bells rang out. "What happened?" he demanded to know, while Ren pulled down the zipper of Ari's armour.

"We were throwing medicine balls to each other, Phasma and I," he explained, not looking up before releasing the right arm from his sleeve. "Ari should try to use the Force to make sure we don't reach them. She was supposed to distract them, but she didn't make it. Over and over and over again, until she got so mad she screamed. Then the ball went out of control like a torpedo and hit her in the shoulder." At that moment Ren pulled the sleeve from her left arm which made Ari cry out in pain.

"It's okay, it's okay," Ren reassured his daughter as he inspected the damage. The shoulder was red and blue and seemed to hurt badly.

Furiously, Hux gritted his teeth, glaring at the black-haired man from the side. "We will do a bioscan. Right away."

Without waiting for Ren's answer he got up and took the medidroid, which was in maintenance mode, next to the bed. "Lie down, Princess. Now we'll know if anything is broken or just bruised and make the pain stop." Ari didn't say anything but sobbed quietly while the droid scanned her body.

Trembling inside, the General pulled the other man aside. "How could you?" he hissed softly. 

"Do you think I wanted this?" Ren defended himself. 

"Of course not, but once again you weren't thinking!" Hux accused him angrily. "You know how dangerous every injury is for her, and yet you take the risk just like that! Damn it, Ren, it's one thing to put yourself in danger, but not our daughter!"

"I'm sorry, okay?" the black-haired man returned defensively. "It was an accident and I'm gonna fix it." At that moment the droid beeped to indicate that the scan was complete. Thank the stars the shoulder was not broken, just badly bruised. 

"It's okay, Princess," Ren said to his daughter, before sitting down next to her and lightly touching her shoulder with his fingertips. "Close your eyes and I'll make it stop hurting." Ari still whimpered but did what her father asked her to do and Ren lowered his eyelids too while he concentrated on repairing the damage the medicine ball had done. Hux would have loved to storm away in rage but he could not leave Ari alone now. So he stood with a motionless face next to the dark-haired knight, registering exactly how the bruise healed and the discoloration of the skin disappeared as if it had never been there before. The pain also disappeared, so that Ary's tears dried up and she instead opened her eyes in surprise and moved her arm. 

"My arm is healed again," she said as she sat up and looked at her father in disbelief.

"Yes, Princess, it is," returned Ren, who captured her gaze.

Radiant, Ari turned to Hux. "Look, Papa, I'm all better now."

"Yes, you are," the General replied, but his gaze was directed at Ren. "Better watch out next time."

XXXXXX

Kylo Ren

During dinner, where Ari acted like nothing had ever happened and talked about all the great things she had experienced today, Hux was silent and just pecked at his portion before apologizing and retiring to bed. Despite the happy ending to the accident, his aura radiated a restlessness and concern that made Ren thoughtful. Although he understood why the redhead was angry with him, it was unusual that he could hardly smile at Ari either. Mostly when they argued with each other, he tried to act towards Arihnda as if nothing had happened. But as long as their daughter was sitting next to him, he could hardly talk to Hux, so he had to wait until they were undisturbed. Only after he had eaten up and brought Ari to bed, he finally found the opportunity to talk to the General in peace.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting on the mattress next to the other man so that he could look at him. Hux's stomach was so big that lying on his back even for a short time caused him pain. So he lay on his side, one hand against the underside of the bulge. His face a grim mask. 

"I'm afraid I'm in labor."

XXXXXX

Kylo Ren

"It's too soon, much too soon," Hux said with clenched teeth, when another wave of pain hit him. The seventh month of pregnancy had just begun, but the stress to which he had just been subjected in the last few months was now taking its toll. "It can't be born yet."

"I'm doing everything I can to stop the contractions," the doctor let him know. After notifying Phasma to come to their quarters to check on Ari, they left right away for the infirmary, where an immediate scan confirmed that Hux was right in his suspicions. Although the contractions still occurred at a considerable distance, they would inevitably lead to the planned Caesarean section having to be performed earlier if they could not stop the process. Although prenatal medicine had progressed to the point where the child had a good chance of survival, premature birth always brought risks, so the doctor immediately began giving injections to stop the birth. Nevertheless, the pain continued to come in waves as Hux's body struggled to fulfil its natural destiny even against its will. Kylo Ren sat helplessly by, not knowing how to help except to talk him down and use the Force to relieve at least some of his pain. Every few minutes the doctor checked the status of the cervix, but after it had already been opened several centimeters when they arrived, the medication had at least caused the progress of the birth to stagnate. The amniotic sac was still intact, but the contractions continued.

"It must not come. Not yet," Hux repeated the words like a mantra, as if he could stop the process with pure willpower. His whole body was trembling with tension and pain, and the drops of sweat glistened on his forehead, but he was not ready to give in to defeat.

"I am afraid it will be unavoidable," the doctor said at that moment. "The baby's heartbeat is getting weaker. We will have to go get it."

"No! No!" Hux shook his head. "It's too soon! It could get lung damage or heart failure if it's born now. I can't have a sick child to cure my sick child."

"Calm down," Ren tried to talk him down by putting one hand on Hux's forearm. "It's going to be all right. The baby is going to be fine. I know it."

"But its lungs are not yet fully developed..." Hux protested desperately.

Encouragingly, Ren's fingers squeezed the sweaty arm. „It'll make it, don't worry."

Although she was reluctant to disturb this confidential scene, the doctor still had to make herself noticed. "General, Supreme Leader, we must act now or we risk losing the baby."

XXXXXX

General Hux

He couldn't tell what was more unpleasant as he sat naked except for a thin gown bent over on the operating table: the fact that his belly was pressing against his lungs due to his position or the long needle that was inserted between his vertebrae to anaesthetize the lower part of his body. Despite the emergency C-section, Hux had consciously decided against a general anaesthetic, even though it would have been the simpler option. Just as he had experienced the pregnancy with full consciousness and a clear mind, he now wanted to make sure that his child was alive and well immediately after birth. The numbness in his legs caught up with him faster than the General had thought possible, so Ren had to help him lift his legs up on the table and lie down. He was reluctant to find Ren's presence reassuring, but the fact that the dark-haired knight would be there in case anything went wrong still filled him with a sense of security. With his abilities, Ren might be able to do more for their child in an emergency than the medidroids or the doctors, making his own fear a little more bearable.

It was strange to watch the droid spray the underside of his belly with a disinfectant, but not to feel it. As with the anesthesia, Hux had also resisted the fact that cloths had been used to prevent him from seeing what was happening. His huge belly hid the crucial area anyway, so he wouldn't notice much of the bloody part, but he wanted to see it this time, when his child saw the light of day and not have it presented clean and wrapped in a blanket later. If the medidroid hadn't informed him, Hux would not have felt the cut at all. It only pressed uncomfortably while the machine pulled the resulting gap apart and fixed it with clamps, while Ren looked over the droid's shoulder with a motionless face. Mechanical arms pushed into him, rumbling, tearing, pulling his lower body back and forth, so that Hux already thought they would tear him apart, so in an attempt to hold on, he clasped his fingers to the edges of the table, careful not to catch the tube of the infusion that was stuck in the back of his hand with a needle. For an almost endless moment he felt like an animal on the slaughterhouse floor, disemboweled and his insides turned out, then he heard Ren breathing in clearly.

"There it is, Hux. I can see it," the black-haired man raved excitedly. "I see it. It's coming, it's almost there."

Hux said nothing, too busy breathing and at the same time pressing his teeth together. It was hard to describe how it felt when the medidroid pulled the child out of his belly, head first. Like a tremendous pressure that had weighed on him, only to be gone all of a sudden and suddenly it was there.

"There it is, Hux," Ren exclaimed as the droid held a red, bloody thing in its metal arms. "Our son, look how beautiful he is."

At that moment beauty was obviously in the eye of the beholder. All Hux could see was a tiny, clearly male baby smeared with bodily fluids that barely began to scream faintly after the droid had sucked the mucus and remnants of amniotic fluid from his mouth. It sounded more like an animal than a baby. A little kitten, perhaps, but it was breathing, and that was the main thing for now.

Relieved that the child was alive, the redhead felt tears running from his eyes. Although he was only given mild painkillers at his own request, Hux felt light in the head, as if his consciousness was floating on the ceiling, watching the medidroid holding the umbilical cord before Ren finally cut it. Once the droid had examined the baby and patched Hux up, he would take it to another unit in the lab to extract the cells for transplantation. Ari's rescue, after all these months of waiting, was finally within reach. Hux had never seen the look on the dark-haired-knight's face when he took the child from the droid and wrapped it in a linen sheet. His usually so serious face glowed, and he seemed years younger as he looked down at the bundle before placing it in the waiting incubator, where it was oxygenated. Pure joy, it couldn't be anything else, Hux decided and it looked good on him. 

Subconsciously, he could see the medidroid starting to work on him again, but he still didn't want to take his eyes off Ren and their child to memorize this sight for all eternity. Since the afterbirth couldn't come off naturally, the Droid had to remove the placenta and the remains of the amniotic sac before flushing Hux's abdomen and closing the wound. Despite knowing the enormity of the moment, he felt strangely calm and grounded when Ren pushed the incubator next to him so Hux could reach in with his hand. The boy was tiny, barely more than two hands full of life, his skin so thin that Hux could see the veins underneath. His face was contorted with exertion and his eyes pressed tightly together, but he no longer screamed, only made soft, discontented noises. Hux's fingers trembled as he gently stroked the soft skin of his cheek. He had black hair, just like his sister, but what else did the General expect. 

For seven long months, Hux had been afraid that when the time came and the child was born, he would only see Ari's salvation in him, but now that he touched him, he knew his concern had been unfounded. He loved his son, had probably loved him from the first day of his existence, even if he hadn't dared to admit it to himself at that time. It was strange, but at that moment Hux realized that he had never felt real happiness in his life. He had been content when he had become a boy, relieved when his father had died, proud when Starkiller had destroyed the Hosnian system and melancholic when he had held Ari for the first time in the belief that this would be their first and last moment together. But the definition of happiness had always been foreign to him until today and it was ironic that he understood what this word meant just now when he had born a miniature of Kylo Ren. 

XXXXXX

Although the peridual anesthesia was slowly losing its effect, Hux did not yet feel any pain, but he was exhausted and so weak from hours of labor that he lay flat in the pillows. His lips had lost all color and his body was shaking like leaves, but the doctor had reassured him that this was normal, just a result of the anesthesia and painkillers. It had become quiet in the treatment room. After the medidroid had finished his work on him, closed the wound on his belly with a Bacta patch and lifted him carefully from the operating table to a bed together with Ren, he subjected the baby to a bioscan, which confirmed that his lungs and heart still had to mature, but otherwise he was quite healthy. After that, another droid had come to clean up and dispose of the bloody cloths before the machines rolled out of the room, leaving them behind alone. 

Ren was now sitting on a chair next to Hux's bed, with their little son in the incubator beside him, and he couldn't stop looking at the boy. The baby slept peacefully; eyes closed, both hands clenched in fists, laid down beside his head. "Don't even think about it. We won't call him Anakin," Hux said, clear noticing the dark-haired knight's affection for their son, but although he was serious about it, his lips curled amused at these words. 

"Mitth'raw'nuruodo is out of the question, too," Ren returned with a side blow to Hux's idol, the Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn, while returning the smile. 

Restlessly, Hux slipped around in his bed. God, he had to try to find a more comfortable position. His bottom felt as if it was sinking into the mattress and his legs were tingling from the long time he couldn't move them. Careful not to tear the seam under the Bacta patch again, Hux slipped a little higher up in the pillow when suddenly a dull pain flashed through him. Something inside him seemed to tear, then a warm wave was washed out of him and it got very wet in his bed, while at the same time his body seemed to go numb. In a split second he lost the feeling in his fingers, his arms and legs became heavy and his head started to spin.

In an attempt to understand what had just happened, Hux frowned in confusion. "Kylo", he brought out somehow, but his speech was unclear and blurred. Blackness lay over his eyes and he could see nothing more. Fighting against the abyss, he pushed out once more: "Kylo!" 

"Hux?" the knight returned, but the General could only hear him as through cotton wool. His fingers reached into the void, then darkness swallowed him up and he lost consciousness.

Tbc ....


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Raise your hands to the sky  
Set me free  
Raise your hands to the sky  
Set me free  
Raise your hands to the sky  
Won't you stop, please  
Set me free

(30 Seconds to Mars, Great wide open)

Kylo Ren

Ren felt something was wrong even before he heard the General say his name for the first time. There was blood, lots of blood, he could smell it. A strong, coppery flavour that hadn't been there before, and it wasn't the dried blood on the wound. Immediately, Ren pushed the incubator with their son to the side and jumped to his feet. Intuitively, he tore back the blanket that had covered Hux body to find the source of the smell, discovering with horror the large pool of blood where Hux lay. His abdomen, his lap, the inside of his thighs, everything was bathed in blood. 

"Kylo!" Hux called him again, and the fact that he was using his first name sent a cold terror down his spine. The General never called him by his own chosen name, that he did it now could only be an act of desperation. His gaze twitched to his face just at the moment when Hux's head tilted to the side. It was like deja vu, like history repeating itself, only this time Hux was really dying. 

"No," Ren gritted out from between his bared teeth. "You can't have him. I won't let you have him." He had not fought so long to lose Hux to death now. No, he would save him, even though he knew that what he was about to do would cost all his strength. Determined, Ren pushed up the General's gown before closing his eyes and placing both hands on his body. Instinctively, he knew exactly what he had to do. First he had to find the source of the bleeding and close it, then he would bring Hux back. If it had been the first time Ren used the Force to enter Hux's body, he might have been worried that he wouldn't make it, that it would take too long to save Hux. But he had already been inside him once, knew the texture of his vessels, muscles and tendons, his bones and organs. 

Gently he groped his way forward with the Force, feeling the fresh wound that the operation had left behind. The place where the amniotic sac with the placenta had been felt sore and rough, but it wasn't the source of the bleeding, so Ren continued his research, feeling his way forward piece by piece. Indeed, shortly afterwards he found the spot from which Hux's life energy was drained. The medidroid had obviously cut a major artery during the operation, so that with every heartbeat, blood was pumped into Hux's abdomen. In the hollow where their child had lain until recently, it gathered like a lake, but by trying to sit up, the blood had gushed out in a torrent. If he wanted Hux to live, he had to join the artery together to prevent him from bleeding further.

Focused, Ren let the Force flow through his fingers directly into the gap, feeling the two ends of the blood vessel move toward each other, touching and merging again, but he did not stop channeling his energy further into it until they became one, just as they had been before. Subconsciously he heard their son whimpering softly in the incubator. Of course, he too could feel the flow of the Force and without the protection of Hux's body he was helplessly exposed to this feeling. Kylo Ren frightened his child, but at the moment there was nothing he could do about it. All his senses had to remain focused on Hux.

Ren paused for a brief moment, to gather new strength. He was dizzy, but didn't care. He took a few short breaths, then his hands slipped up obove the skin, over Hux's still swollen belly to his ribs, where they finally came to rest at the height of his left chest. How many times had he felt the General's heart beating against his fingers, strong as a drumfire, but now there was nothing, not even the fluttering of a butterfly's wings. Hux was not breathing, his chest lay still under Ren's hands, but it was still warm. There was still time, he told himself. Not too late yet. He would bring him back. 

Trying to block out everything around him, Ren took a deep breath before concentrating again, bundled up the Force within, then letting it flow through his fingers straight into Hux's heart. He felt the spark make it tremble, and for a moment, he thought he was returning to his childhood as he escaped the crushing presence of his mother, trying to set a broken speeder in motion. Just like the vehicle at the time, Hux's heart made a single beat, bouncing briefly before it stopped again. Of course, death did not release the General from his clutches that easily. But Ren had no intention of giving up, but sent another forceful thrust into him. This time, he felt the organ stutter, then it widened for a moment before pumping the blood from his chambers into the body, before it filled with the lifeblood once again. Still, Ren didn't dare retreat yet, feeling further into Hux's body, noticing his heart make another stumbling beat before his lungs came alive too and he took a shaky breath. 

Hux's chest widened and Ren could feel the next heartbeat even without the Force on his hands. Still, he lingered a moment longer, making sure it wasn't just a brief rebound, but with every beat it made, Hux's heart grew stronger. Relief flooded through the dark-haired knight as he felt the blood pump through his veins again and his lungs filled with air. Thank the stars. Hux would live. Knowing this, Ren retreated and opened his eyes. At first, he staggered, feeling nauseous and his legs were shaking, unable to hold him upright any longer, so he lowered himself back onto the chair, breathing heavily. But although he felt as if he was about to faint himself, his gaze immediately sought Hux's face. The redhead had closed his eyes further, but Ren's sharp gaze did not escape the twitching of his eyelids. It would not be long before he would regain consciousness. 

The baby still whimpered in its glass container, frightened by the vibrations of the Force that continued to pulsate through the room, causing Ren to pull the incubator towards him again. "It's okay," he whispered harshly as he reached through the opening with trembling fingers and placed his hand on his son's tiny chest. In contrast to Hux's heartbeat, the baby's felt like the frantically fast and at the same time feather-light wing beats of a hummingbird. He was so fragile and small, their son, that he could feel the bones through his skin as he stroked the velvety soft skin with his thumb. "Everything's gonna be all right. I promise. I won't let anything happen to either of you. Not as long as I live."

In fact, his words seemed to calm the child or it was because of the weakening vibrations of the Force that the boy stopped whimpering and relaxed under his hand. His consciousness became sluggish and he radiated sleepy contentment, but Ren would not stop stroking and softly talking to him until the child became completely calm and drifted off to sleep.

XXXXXX

Epilogue

Live like a dream  
Broken but free  
Live like a dream  
everybody sing  
Oh, oh, oh  
Oh, oh, oh

(30 Seconds to Mars, Live like a dream)

General Hux

Soft, red waves broke on a gently sloping beach of black sand, above it was a green sky without clouds with a small, white sun. All year round temperatures that were felt by most warm-blooded species to be pleasant but not too hot and the air seemed neither humid nor dry. A true paradise for holidaymakers from all over the galaxy, and this was exactly what the natives of Vanya Seven lived on. It was a small planet, unarmed and without any military, but also without mineral resources, whose inhabitants had not resisted the First Order when it invaded them. All the beings wanted was to continue to do their business in peace, and since this was assured, they paid the taxes for this peace without batting an eyelid.

An almost perfect place for Ari's first trip to a planet, Hux had to leave that to the Supreme Leader. He himself could not have chosen a better one. When Ren had told him that he would like to reward Ari for her bravery after the operation, Hux had believed that the dark-haired knight only included himself and their daughter. He was all the more surprised when it became clear that he was planning the visit planetside with the whole family. Ren had even rented a cottage so they could rest if Hux or the children were exhausted, and although the General had found it difficult to leave his ship in foreign hands for the duration of their absence, he had agreed to do so on the condition that it was Phasma who temporarily took command of the Finalizer. It had been only logical, after all she had done for him, his family and the First Order in the past months, that she should be raised to the rank of General. Actually, much more should have been granted to her, so Ren had suggested that she be rewarded with her own command of the Steadfast, but Hux couldn't bear the thought of sending her to another ship. As long as she was at his side, he felt safe, and since Phasma seemed to be happy with her new rank and the expanded scope of her duties, he had left it at that.

Although Hux had been afraid that it was too early for a planetary walk, that Ari's recovery was still too fresh, the doctors had assured him that his concern was unfounded. The bone marrow transplant had gone without a hitch and her young body had recovered from it surprisingly quickly. All tests afterwards showed that Arihnda was now as healthy as any other child. Of course, there was always the possibility that she could contract some kind of virus in the alien atmosphere, but Hux had made sure that the risk was minimized by giving her the same standardized vaccinations that were injected to the Stormtroopers before their missions. If he had had his way, she would either have continued wearing her suit and helmet, or he would have had her vaccinated against every known disease in the galaxy, but Ren had convinced him that he was doing the child no favors. Hard as it was for him, he had to learn to let go and let her discover her world.

Ari's curls danced in the warm wind and her cheeks glowed with excitement as she ran back and forth full of energy and although they had already rolled up her trouser legs at the beginning of the beach walk, the fabric was now full of sand and splashes of water. For her five years, Arihnda was astonishingly tall thanks to her fathers' genes, so she already fitted into the standard clothes worn by the children of the Stormtrooper program, but although she loved the uniform, Hux would make sure that she never came into contact with their education. If he had his way, his daughter, when she was old enough, would enter a First Order Academy and pursue an officer's career just as he had, but he knew already that Ren would be against it. Although her abilities would always make her more defensive than other people, as the daughter of the Supreme Leader, she was constantly exposed to the danger that the enemies of the First Order would try to get their hands on her. At least there were no more mysterious Jedi or Sith orders to which he could send his daughter. So Ren would insist she stayed with them where he could protect and train her.

It was already on Hux's tongue to order her back when his daughter jumped into the foaming waves with bare feet. Although there were no dangerous fish or other animals in the sea (he had made sure of this personally), who knew what germs or bacteria were in the water. He had already opened his mouth to call her back when he felt the mental pull on his mind, so that he reluctantly closed his lips and instead turned his gaze to the side. Ren's dark eyes found his own and he noticed that he shook his head. 'Leave her', said this gesture. 'She deserves to be happy.' Hux sighed, but nodded. 

Although Ren walked beside him, their bodies did not touch. Even though they had two children together by now, their relationship would never be the kind where you held hands. Instead, Hux had an arm wrapped around their son, which he carried in a sling tied to his chest above his uniform. Thanks to the stars, his body had recovered enough to fit back into his old wardrobe. Taking a shore leave and having a child was, in his opinion, no excuse for inappropriate clothing, so the General was as impeccably dressed as he was on board the Finalizer, only he had left his coat behind due to the temperatures. With the little one on his body it was warm enough as it was. Even Kylo Ren paid tribute to the warmth by wearing his gloves in the helmet in his hand, but he too was dressed in his usual robe, the lightsaber attached to his belt for everyone to see. Although a threat on this planet was more than unlikely, Ren remained vigilant and ready to protect his family at all times.

On board the Finalizer, their son usually lay in a baby carrier, which made it possible to have at least one hand free when moving him from one place to another, but for longer walks like here on the beach, it was easier to carry the boy in a sling. Just like his sister, he seemed to enjoy the trip and not want to miss a minute of it. Although he could not see too far at the age of four months, his big, dark eyes took in everything around him as far as he could. In the beginning, Hux had been disappointed that the boy had inherited the eyes along with the dark hair from his father, and it seemed to him that his genes had left no traces in the child, at least on the outside, but Ren had disagreed.

"He has your ears," he noted as they stood side by side at the incubator a few days after the baby was born, and he was right about that. At least something and Hux was grateful for this, since their son, unlike his sister, could not have hidden his big ears under long hair. Ari was still Ren's mirror image as far as that was concerned, but to Hux's satisfaction she had the one or other resemblance to him that went beyond eye colour as she grew older. When Ren scolded her or forbade her to do something, a frown formed on her face, which looked very familiar to her fathers and recently she loved blueprints like Hux did. Not necessarily typical for a little girl, but they would encourage this preference.

While Hux kept an eye on their daughter, he subliminally noticed the baby sucking on one of his fingers. A gesture that showed the General that they would soon have to return to their temporary quarters on the planet. The boy was still calm, but it wouldn't be long before he demanded his bottle. Basically, their son was almost always hungry and sometimes Hux felt as if he was doing little else but feeding the child or changing his diapers. It was as if the boy was desperate to catch up on what he had lacked in weight due to his early birth and grow up to be as tall as his sister in record time. Although he was still significantly smaller and lighter than other children his age, he was otherwise healthy, thanks to the stars. All the tests he had undergone so far suggested that his body and mind had not suffered any damage. A circumstance that made his two fathers immensely relieved. For this reason, Hux was happy to overlook the fact that caring for the baby had been very demanding since it had moved from the infirmary to their quarters three months ago. At least in the preparation of the bottle, he could take turns with Kylo Ren, otherwise Hux had no idea how he would manage to command a stardestroyer. 

But he wouldn't complain about his parental duties, Ren tried to help him as much as he could. Especially in the first few weeks, when Hux's body was struggling with the aftereffects of the pregnancy and the birth, Ren took Arihnda with him as often as possible so that the General could rest, and since their son lived with them in the quarters, too, Ren often took over feeding or his evening bath so that Hux could either spend time with their daughter or have some peace for his work instead.

As for Arihina, it didn't take long for her to find a way into the role of being a big sister. Although she was often jealous of the attention her little brother received, her fathers made sure that they spent time alone with her as much as they could, so that she didn't feel she was missing out. Since she had been allowed to set up her own room in the new quarters on the Finalizer herself, she quickly got over the fact that she no longer slept next to her parents' bed, even though she started walking often enough during the night, so it was not uncommon for the four of them to wake up crowded together on the mattress in the morning. But despite the fact, if someone asked her, Ari would not give up her own room anymore and the bigger her brother became the more often she wanted to be involved in his care, so that they finally allowed her to hold him under supervision and feed him the bottle.

After they had a hard time with the naming of the baby, Hux prevailed with his wish to name the baby after another comrade-in-arms of Admiral Thrawn: Wullf Yularen. As much as Ren had been against it, he had finally given in thanks to Ari's encouragement, even though he still had to get used to the sound on his tongue. Nevertheless the boy seemed to like his chosen name, because he smiled whenever Hux addressed him.

Seeing him so content in his sling, it was easy to believe that Wulff was an easy baby, but just like Ren, he was impatient and easily irritated, which Hux knew at the latest from the moment the baby's cries burst all the glass bottles in their quarters one night. He was strong in the Force, perhaps even stronger than his father and sister were, and both Ren and Arihnda assured him that the boy was already trying to reach them with his mind. It would be a real challenge to raise another forcesensitive child after Ari, but with each day that passed, Hux got more practice in dealing with tantrums without getting hurt. 

Either way, the family planning was irrevocably finished and for once, Ren seemed to have no problems with it either. Apart from the difficult pregnancy with their son, Hux's age was a factor that could not be denied, and his near-death experience was also a criterion that forbade him from taking the risk again. Of course, it would have been wonderful to have a "normal" child, but he now had experience what it was like to be the only one in the family not to be blessed with the Force. That was not his destiny. He was the commander of the Finalizer, father of two children and in this way forever connected to Kylo Ren. A prospect he had learned to live with. Within his means, Ren had developed exactly as Hux had hoped when he gave him Arihnda. The love for his children may not have made a different person out of him, but it had definitely changed him, and although it was not a conventional love that prevailed between them, but more a marriage of reason, still the obstacles they had overcome together conected them more closely than Hux had ever thought possible. They had learned to respect and appreciate each other, were a good team, both professionally and privately, and they had understood that as a unit they were practically invincible. They would use this alliance to raise their children into courageous and independent personalities, and to help the First Order achieve a strength that even Snoke would never have dared to dream of. If fate treated them well, they would one day put the legacy of their achievements into the hands of their children, but that day was still far away and until then they would simply continue to be who they were:

Kylo Ren and Armitage Hux, Supreme Leader and General of the First Order.  
Partners and fathers.   
No more and no less.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading. I really enjoyed writing this story so much. Take care !


End file.
